ECHO Autism for the Primary Care Provider - Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 12:00 PM - Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 1:30 PM, Online

With increasing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which occurs in 1:36 children in the United States, diagnostic and treatment demands far exceed the capacity of specialty centers. Early identification, referral and effective treatment are essential for enhancing outcomes, yet children with ASD face delays in diagnosis. Although PCPs provide immediate and community-based care for children, they often feel ill-equipped to care for children with ASD.  

By participating in Echo Autism, community providers receive mentoring focused on improving their knowledge, confidence and competence in managing children with ASD in their respective practices. Participants receive direct benefits in the form of knowledge gained and continuing medical education credit. Ultimately, participation will benefit children with autism and their families by enhancing access to best-practice medical care in local communities. 

Echo Autism sessions are offered bi-weekly @ 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (ET).

Dates are 1 and 3 Wednesday of each month. 
Session dates: 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/16, 11/6, 11/20, 12/4, 12/18, 1/15, 2/5, 2/19, 3/5 
 

Session Topics will include: 

• Screening, Identification and Tools for Diagnosing
• What to do While You Wait
• Having Culturally Appropriate Conversations: Delivering the Diagnosis and Talking to Caregivers About Concerns
• Family Centered Care and Empowering Families to Make Decisions
• Role of a Speech Language Pathologist in Treating ASD
• Role of an Occupational Therapist in Treating ASD
• Therapeutic Approaches to Behavior
• Medical Interventions and Treatment for Severe Behavior and Irritability
• Co-Occurring Condition: ADHD
• Co-Occurring Condition: Sleep Problems
• Co-Occurring Condition: Anxiety
• Topic Chosen by PCPs 

Featured Faculty: 
Pamela Williams-Arya MD 
Dr. Williams-Arya is a board certified developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with clinical expertise in the evaluation of autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. She worked as a primary care pediatrician for 10 years prior to returning to pursue a fellowship in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. She also works in an interdisciplinary evaluation clinic for preschool-aged children with a history of prenatal opioid exposure and is a Maternal Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) faculty member involved in interdisciplinary training. 

Jennifer Smith PsyD  
Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and a clinical psychologist with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. She is a board-certified behavior analyst. Dr. Smith is the Program Director of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Training Program in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s. 

Why should I participate? 
Learners access pediatric specialists for professional collaboration through regular teleECHO sessions, which are like an interactive grand round presentation. During a session, the specialist will present a brief didactic. Learners present cases to the "learning network," which includes the specialist team and other participants, to receive feedback. 

Benefits for Participating Clinicians:
Participate from the convenience of your office or home 
Face-to-face networking and collaboration with colleagues 
Sessions led by sub-specialist 
Receive expert opinions on cases 

What is “Common to Complex”?
From Common to Complex: Utilizing Telehealth to Connect Primary Care Providers to Pediatric Specialists” is a project to look at using technology and case-based learning to improve knowledge, self-efficacy and have a positive impact on care. Cincinnati Children’s will use the Project ECHO methodology to offer telehealth-based learning for primary care providers over a 6-12-month period. Project ECHO, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, is a virtual learning network method that enables information sharing regarding best practices and access for specialty care in all areas, especially rural or underserved areas.

How Project Echo Works
Project ECHO – Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes – uses technology, Project ECHO bridges the gap between healthcare specialists and community-based clinicians. The Project ECHO model is based on four principles: 

1. Use technology to leverage scarce resources
2. Share “best practices” to reduce disparities
3. Apply case-based learning to master complexity
4. Evaluate and monitor outcomes 

During Project ECHO sessions, healthcare clinicians present cases using a case-based format using video conferencing equipment. Project ECHO specialist and other participants discuss patient cases and recommendations are made regarding a treatment plan. Specialists and community clinicians hear various case presentations, as well as follow-up and outcomes, and over time greatly increase their knowledge and experience in the evaluation and treatment of depression. 

What Clinicians and Partners say: 
“I feel more confident, and it makes providing care easier. This project allows for increased opportunities to learn, and patients to get better care.”

“Project Echo has been a valuable learning experience for me, and I have learned and incorporated new ideas into my practice as a direct result of my participation. I find that sharing in a group setting and seeing how others approach problems to be a good way of synthesizing how I would or might approach things in my daily practice. I highly recommend participation in Project Echo learning opportunities as they come available." 

1. Describe recommended practices for screening for developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder in infants, toddlers, and young children.
2. Identify common co-occurring medical and behavioral conditions in children with autism spectrum disorder.
3. Identify evidence-based treatments for common co-occurring medical and behavioral treatments in children with autism spectrum disorder.
4. Collaborate with the interprofessional treatment team

In support of improving patient care, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician:  Cincinnati Children’s designates this live Activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing:   This activity is approved for a maximum 1.5 continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hours.

Physician Assistants: Cincinnati Children’s has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

 

MOCpt2: Maintenance of Certification (physicians only): Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes learner assessment and feedback, enables the learner to earn up to 1.5 points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Cincinnati Children’s submits completion information to the ACCME and certifying boards on learners’ behalf; for MOC credit to be granted, the diplomate must enter their DOB and Board ID, and grant permission for data sharing, in our CE Portal: https://cchmc.cloud-cme.com/cme/profile.

 

IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change. 

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (1.50 hours), AAPA Physician Associate (1.50 hours), ABP MOC Part 2 (1.50 hours), CME - Non-Physician (Attendance) (1.50 hours), IPCE (1.50 hours), Nursing CE (1.50 hours)

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

No faculty are available for this activity at this time.