Kaiser Permanente Autism Research Program

Kaiser’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Centers provide in-depth developmental screening and assessment and clinical consultation by a multidisciplinary team. There are three ASD Centers in Northern California–in San Jose, Rancho Cordova, and San Francisco.

What services does the ASD Center provide?

The ASD Center provides in-depth developmental screening and assessment, and clinical consultation by a multidisciplinary team representing the following disciplines: child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical psychology, pediatrics, behavioral and developmental pediatrics, pediatric neurology, genetics, and other sub-specialists. Local child and adolescent psychiatry departments offer case management and support for children with an ASD diagnosis.

How do I refer patients to the ASD Center?

Any Kaiser Permanente provider in the Northern California region may refer a child. The ASD Centers accept referrals via eConsult after the child has been screened using the M-CHAT or other best practices developmental tool and is determined to meet ASD risk referral criteria. The ASD Centers will also accept referrals when there is a parent or a Kaiser Permanente provider concern about the child’s developmental progress. Training on the use of the screening tools and the referral process has been presented to all providers’ groups in the Northern California Region.

How will Kaiser Permanente clinicians in the region care for the ASD patient population that cannot travel to one of the three ASD Centers?

The Kaiser Permanente ASD Evaluation Centers collaborate and provide clinical consultation to the Developmental Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry providers throughout Northern California. Families that cannot travel to one of the three ASD Centers can be referred to their local Kaiser Permanente Developmental Pediatrics or Child Psychiatry departments.