Next Steps After an Autism Diagnosis
Your child’s evaluation report will include detailed recommendations about what medical, educational, and allied health services and supports will be the best fit for your child. Review the report with your child’s primary care doctor and teachers, and work with them on appropriate medical and education supports.
Recommendations may include:
- Attend one of our family trainings called "Next Steps After an Autism Diagnosis," which we repeat 3 times per year. It is a chance to hear from one of our psychologists on understanding the diagnosis and information on evidence-based therapies; our Family Resource Nurse on connecting with services; and our Education Coordinator for Autism on a family perspective of living with autism. This training is typically offered in January, June and November. Please see our Upcoming Live Events page for details.
- Register with your state’s developmental disabilities resource. Connect with state resources that provides families with home- and community-based supportive services such as behavior support, crisis intervention, respite care, and community integration supports. Missouri families should contact the Regional Office for your county to start the registration process. Kansas families should begin the appropriate waiver application based on your child’s age and need: youth under age 5 can apply for the KS Autism Waiver, and youth age 5 and older can apply for the ID/DD Waiver and SED Waiver.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which involves tailored, intensive teaching to help a child improve skills such as communication, social interaction and self-help, and decrease problem behaviors like tantrums and aggression. Children’s Mercy does not offer intensive ABA/behavioral services. Contact your child’s insurance carrier and ask for a list of “ABA providers,” “behavior therapists,” and/or “behavioral psychologists” who are within your insurance network.
- Parent/caregiver coaching on how to implement behavioral strategies in home and community settings to decrease problem behaviors and teach skills. For more information about coaching at Children’s Mercy, visit our RUBI Autism Parent Coaching page.
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Primary care providers are the best place to start with medication questions. You can also seek service through the Children’s Mercy Autism Medical Clinic.
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Join the Autism and Neurodevelopment Continuity Clinic (ANDCC) pilot program. Currently available for families who had a child seen at Children's Mercy and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or global development by the age of 3 years old, the clinic provides medical, developmental and behavioral guidance and resource navigation through in-person and/or telehealth appointments. It is designed to supplement, not replace, primary care visits.
If you have questions about the recommendations made by your Children’s Mercy provider or need another copy of your report, call (816) 234-3674.
Education opportunities
Children’s Mercy offers in-person and online trainings to help families in the autism community. Topics include many issues that are common for families of kids with autism, including sleep problems, toilet training, mealtime struggles and managing problem behaviors. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on new resources.
Local resources
We have compiled a list of resources that can help you connect to supportive services:
- Autism Clinic
- Autism Evaluation Process
- What to Expect at the Autism Clinic
- Next Steps After Diagnosis
- Autism and Developmental Disorder Medical Clinic
- Upcoming Live Events
- Recorded Trainings
- Sesiones de entrenamiento grabadas en español
- RUBI Autism Parent Coaching Program
- Developmental and Behavioral Health Team
- Developmental and Behavioral Health