In 2012, an interdisciplinary team of faculty in the Department of Pediatrics developed an innovative tiered system of developmental screening and diagnostic evaluations within primary care settings for young children ages 14-48 months. The Early Autism Evaluation (EAE) Hub system has been implemented across multiple health systems around the state, stretching from South Bend to Evansville and has served nearly 5,000 children to date.
Early Autism Evaluation
During the 2022 calendar year, 670 children were served across the EAE Hubs at an average age of 30 months, with nearly 60% of children receiving a diagnosis of autism. The system has reduced the wait time for evaluation from one year to less than three months for the majority of the children seen, thereby reducing the age of diagnosis.
Early Autism Evaluation System Outcomes for 2022
670
children were seen at 11 sites
59%
were diagnosed with autism
29.7 months
average age of diagnosis
88 days
average wait time from referral to visit
80%
don't need a follow-up specialty visit
384
primary care clinicians referred children from 59 counties
The goal of this initiative continues to be to improve localized access to early diagnostic evaluations for young children who are found to be at increased likelihood of autism and/or developmental delay based on developmental screening and/or parental caregiver or clinician concerns. Regardless of their diagnoses, eligible children are referred to receive subsequent evidence-based interventions at the earliest age possible.
Early Evaluation Hubs
The Early Autism Evaluation (EAE) Hub system has trained and coached 20 practices since its launch, building advanced skills in screening, diagnosis, and management of young children with autism for over 60 primary care clinicians. Currently we have nine teams across Indiana who perform evaluations and participate in the monthly learning collaborative group activities, which include content on challenging case presentations, updated autism diagnosis and care management practice standards, billing and coding guidance, and information on statewide autism spectrum disorder (ASD) resources.
Trained clinicians throughout the state receive referrals from local and regional primary care offices to provide structured diagnostic evaluations and deliver detailed clinical reports which qualify children for needed next step interventions. In cases where the child’s diagnosis is not definitively determined during the EAE Hub evaluation (under 20% of cases), families are assisted in a referral for further subspecialty evaluation, including through Riley Hospital for Children’s Developmental Medicine and/or Child Psychiatry services.
Early Autism Evaluation Hub Locations
This map demonstrates the approximate geographic coverage of hub sites, in receiving referrals from surrounding counties.
The list of current sites and contact information can be found below.
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Anderson
Community Health Network
1629 Medical Arts Blvd., #200
Anderson, IN 46011
765-298-5439
*Community Health Network referrals only
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Bloomington
IU Health Riley Physicians
4935 W. Arlington Rd.
Bloomington, IN 47404
812-353-3785
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Greenwood
Community Physician Network Family
Medicine And Pediatric Care
3000 S. State Rd. 135, Ste. 310
Greenwood, IN, 46143
317-497-2400
* Community Health Network referrals only
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Indianapolis
Riley Pediatric Care Center
1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 2000
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-944-4846
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Lafayette
IU Health Arnett
2600 Greenbush
Lafayette, IN 47904
765-448-8000 (ask for Peds triage)
* IU Heath Arnett referrals only
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New Albany
ALL IN Pediatrics
2305 Green Valley Rd.
New Albany, IN 47150
812-949-0405
*ALL IN Pediatrics referrals only
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Newburgh
Deaconess Riley Children’s
Specialty Center
4209 Gateway Blvd., MOB 2
Suite 1100
Newburgh, IN 47630
812-858-3131
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South Bend
Primary Care Partners of South Bend
300 South St. Louis, Suite 204
South Bend, IN 46617
574-251-1200
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Warsaw
Lutheran Health Physicians
Pediatric Healthcare
902 Provident Drive, Ste A
Warsaw, IN 46580
574-269-8338
Clinical Pathway
The following is an algorithm representing the evaluation procedure used during an EAE hub clinical evaluation. It incorporates a review of developmental screening results, a diagnostic interview including assessment of DSM-5 criteria for autism and a medical and developmental history, the administration of a structured observational assessment for autism (i.e., Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children; STAT), and physical examination, followed by integration of the data to formulate and present a clinical diagnosis to the family, and then the creation and dissemination of a clinical report which includes recommended next steps for care management.