Toddlers with Austism Spectrum Disorder Roundtable

On Saturday, March 5, Early Childhood Specialist Nina Lublin, RCSN Founding Director Tondra Lynford, and several RCSN families were among the 100 + invitees to “Toddlers with Autism in NYC–A Public Policy Roundtable on the Challenges of Enhancing Early Intervention Services for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” The event was held at Hunter College’s Roosevelt House, as part of an “invitation-only” conference coordinated by the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and Hunter College’s Center for Autism. The event was funded in part by the FAR Fund.

Nationally known researchers and practicioners including Dr. Fred Volkmar, Dr. Gary Mesibov, Amy Wetherby, Ph.D., and Dr. Barbara Kalmanson joined New Yorkers Dr. Donna Noyes, NY State Department of Health Early Intervention Program, Marilyn Rubinstein, Manhattan Early Childhood Direction Center, and Laura Slatkin, the parent of an 11-year old with ASD, among others, as presenters and panelists. The focus of the day was current research, earlier identification and diagnosis of very young children with ASDs, best evidence-based service practices, and better training for professionals and families.  The barriers and challenges to providing high-quality services to toddlers in a time of greater need and less funding were thoroughly discussed. The attendees–parents, interventionists and service providers, advocates, NYC EI personnel, and representatives from higher education–were divided into workgroups to discuss the current problems facing NY state and city in providing appropriate services to some 30,000+ infants and toddlers. Approximately 1500 of these children are identified with ASDs in NYC alone. The workgroups discussed current funding levels versus levels of service that might be beneficial, and made policy suggestions that the city and state could act on.