Thursday, August 14, 2025
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Friday, August 15, 2025
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Early Identification of Autism for Pediatric Providers: STAT and ASD-PEDS within primary care
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD) is pleased to invite pediatric medical providers to Nashville for an enhanced training program focused on integrating autism screening and diagnostic consultation procedures into community practice.
Building on the success of our previous STAT-MD Workshops, this updated STAT + ASD-PEDS training is designed to empower pediatric clinicians to conduct time-sensitive, autism-focused assessments within their own practices. This workshop includes original STAT-MD training content while expanding to incorporate broader topics, additional tools to supplement the STAT, and practical strategies for real-world implementation. New components include discussion around common challenges, caregiver communication strategies, and post-diagnostic care planning.
Our new 1.5-day format retains its focus on enhancing early autism identification in young children aged 18 to 36 months, while offering an updated structure that supports greater flexibility and engagement.
Workshop components include:
- Performing interactive play-based assessment using the Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT)
- Conducting developmentally sensitive caregiver interviews
- Introduction to additional tools supporting within-practice autism assessment and diagnosis (CARS2, ASD-PEDS)
- Case reviews and guided discussion
- Formulating diagnostic impressions
- Communicating effectively with families and navigating common scenarios
- Identifying and utilizing appropriate billing and coding procedures
- Practical resources for implementation, including discussion and support around documentation, clinical workflow, post-diagnosis care coordination, and more
Join us to gain practical skills, expand your diagnostic toolkit, and connect with fellow providers committed to advancing early autism identification and care.
About the Program
This program was developed through a collaboration between TRIAD, the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP), and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program in response to AAP guidelines mandating autism screening at 18 and 24 months of age. While many tools are widely available for preliminary screening, waits for appropriate diagnostic and early intervention services following positive screens are often in excess of 6-12 months. The STAT + ASD-PEDS program (formerly STAT-MD) equips pediatric clinicians to incorporate diagnostic consultation into their own practices using a time-sensitive model (e.g., 1-hour expanded consultation). The enhanced training also addresses common barriers to implementation, supporting integration within community pediatric settings. Research suggests that diagnostic screening based on the STAT-MD model can help accurately identify approximately 3/4 of young children with autism referred for evaluation. Studies have also demonstrated that tiered community-based models (in which PCPs conduct autism diagnostic evaluations for very young children with clear clinical presentations of autism and refer more complex presentations to diagnostic specialists) are feasible, reduce waitlists, and hold significant promise for improving access to timely autism care.
STAT/ASD-PEDS Presenters
Jeffrey Hine, Ph.D., BCBA
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Tori Foster, Ph.D., BCBA
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Amy Swanson, M.A., CCRP
Manager, STAT Development & Training
Zachary Warren, Ph.D.
Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, & Special Education
Program Coordinator
For more information, contact Amy Swanson, MA, at amy.r.swanson@vumc.org or (615) 322-6533.
Workshop Fee
$300
Note: we cannot process POs or take checks.
Registration
Click the registration link above to be directed to the online registration.
Objectives
After participating in this educational activity, you should be able to:
- Identify the core features of ASD in young children.
- List developmental risk markers for ASD in young children.
- Identify a framework for initiating community-based services for families of young children with ASD.
- Score elements of the STATTM that can be used as part of an overall office-based assessment for ASD.
- Conduct a developmentally sensitive caregiver interview.
- Synthesize information from a variety of sources to assist differential diagnosis of ASD in young children.
- Determine likelihood for autism based on case examples of STAT assessment, parent interview, and medical record review.
- Communicate diagnostic impressions and STAT results to parent(s).
- Explain how to code for the above services.
Continuing Education
Under review for CME(AMA) and CE(APA) and CE(ASHA).