Expanding Autism Diagnostic Capabilities in Bolivia using the ECHO Model

In Bolivia, autism diagnoses are most often delayed or missed due to the scare number of healthcare professionals with autism training or expertise. This project will create a network of highly trained diagnosticians who can provide autism evaluations and frontline workers who can refer families to diagnosticians. An initial professional development mini-series will train frontline workers (e.g. pediatricians and preschool teachers) to recognize early signs of autism and provide referrals. An Extension for Community Health Outcomes framework will allow for an interdisciplinary expert team to meet regularly with community-based clinicians virtually to provide autism training and discuss diagnosticians’ specific cases.