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Expertise in Indiana Health

Early Autism Evaluation

In 2012, an interdisciplinary team of faculty in the Department of Pediatrics developed an innovative tiered system of developmental screening and diagnostic evaluations within primary care settings for young children ages 14-48 months. The Early Autism Evaluation (EAE) Hub system has been implemented across multiple health systems around the state, stretching from South Bend to Evansville and has served nearly 5,000 children to date. 

a toddler plays with toys in the early autism evaluation hub

During the 2022 calendar year, 670 children were served across the EAE Hubs at an average age of 30 months, with nearly 60% of children receiving a diagnosis of autism. The system has reduced the wait time for evaluation from one year to less than three months for the majority of the children seen, thereby reducing the age of diagnosis.  

graph shows autism evaluations steadily growing from 2012 to 2022. In 2013 there were fewer than 100 evaluations. Evaluations peak at nearly 900 in 2019, then drop down in 2020 to 500. By 2022 evaluations had grown to nearly 700.

Early Autism Evaluation System Outcomes for 2022

670 children were seen at 11 sites
59% were diagnosed with autism
29.7 months average age of diagnosis
88 days average wait time from referral to visit
80% receive definitive diagnosis at EAE Hub
384 primary care clinicians referred children from 59 counties

The goal of this initiative continues to be to improve localized access to early diagnostic evaluations for young children who are found to be at increased likelihood of autism and/or developmental delay based on developmental screening and/or parental caregiver or clinician concerns. Regardless of their diagnoses, eligible children are referred to receive subsequent evidence-based interventions at the earliest age possible.


Early Evaluation Hubs

The Early Autism Evaluation (EAE) Hub system has trained and coached 20 practices since its launch, building advanced skills in screening, diagnosis, and management of young children with autism for over 60 primary care clinicians. Currently we have nine teams across Indiana who perform evaluations and participate in the monthly learning collaborative group activities, which include content on challenging case presentations, updated autism diagnosis and care management practice standards, billing and coding guidance, and information on statewide autism spectrum disorder (ASD) resources.

Trained clinicians throughout the state receive referrals from local and regional primary care offices to provide structured diagnostic evaluations and deliver detailed clinical reports which qualify children for needed next step interventions. In cases where the child’s diagnosis is not definitively determined during the EAE Hub evaluation (under 20% of cases), families are assisted in a referral for further subspecialty evaluation, including through Riley Hospital for Children’s Developmental Medicine and/or Child Psychiatry services. 

a child plays with toys while a clinician talks to the parent
a map of indiana shows EAE hubs in nine counties: St. Joseph, Kosciusko, Tippecanoe, Madison, Marion, Johnson, Monroe, Vaderburgh, and Floyd counties

 

Early Autism Evaluation Hub Locations

This map demonstrates the approximate geographic coverage of hub sites, in receiving referrals from surrounding counties.  

The list of current sites and contact information can be found below.

 

  • Anderson

    Community Health Network

    1629 Medical Arts Blvd., #200

    Anderson, IN 46011

    765-298-5439

    *Community Health Network referrals only

  • Bloomington

    IU Health Riley Physicians

    4935 W. Arlington Rd.

    Bloomington, IN 47404

    812-353-3785     

  • Greenwood

    Community Physician Network Family

    Medicine And Pediatric Care

    3000 S. State Rd. 135, Ste. 310

    Greenwood, IN, 46143

    317-497-2400

    * Community Health Network referrals only

  • Indianapolis

    Riley Pediatric Care Center

    1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 2000

    Indianapolis, IN 46202

    317-944-4846   

  • Lafayette

    IU Health Arnett

    2600 Greenbush

    Lafayette, IN 47904

    765-448-8000 (ask for Peds triage)

    * IU Heath Arnett referrals only

  • New Albany

    ALL IN Pediatrics

    2305 Green Valley Rd.

    New Albany, IN 47150

    812-949-0405

    *ALL IN Pediatrics referrals only

  • Newburgh

    Deaconess Riley Children’s

    Specialty Center

    4209 Gateway Blvd., MOB 2

    Suite 1100

    Newburgh, IN 47630

    812-858-3131   

  • South Bend

    Primary Care Partners of South Bend

    300 South St. Louis, Suite 204

    South Bend, IN 46617

    574-251-1200   

  • Warsaw

    Lutheran Health Physicians

    Pediatric Healthcare

    902 Provident Drive, Ste A

    Warsaw, IN 46580

    574-269-8338  

Clinical Pathway

The following is an algorithm representing the evaluation procedure used during an EAE hub clinical evaluation. It incorporates a review of developmental screening results, a diagnostic interview including assessment of DSM-5 criteria for autism and a medical and developmental history, the administration of a structured observational assessment for autism (i.e., Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children; STAT), and  physical examination, followed by integration of the data to formulate and present a clinical diagnosis to the family, and then the creation and dissemination of a clinical report which includes recommended next steps for care management. 

clinical pathway for autism diagnosis