The document summarizes a regional breakout session meeting between professionals from programs that support individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. The group discussed current and potential collaborative activities. They decided to create 1) a shared online space to post resources like videos and training materials and a list of members' expertise, and 2) a survey for members to detail their areas of expertise. The goal is to increase information sharing and cross-program collaboration in the region.

1. Region One Breakout session
Facilitator: Jennifer Bogin
The meeting was opened with a brief period of introductions.
Carol Curtin Shriver Center LEND UCEDD
Kathleen from the Shriver Center LEND UCEDD
Deb Parnell DPH RI
Steve Fountain LEND UVM
Rae Sondmeyer Lend NH
Janet LEND trainee (special education)
Ellen Volpe MCHB Region One Title V grant coordinator
Liz Corona Boston Medical Center DBP
Lenny Rappaport DPB Children’s Hospital Boston
Carol Weisman Yale University DBP
John Baruch UMASS Boston
Allan Krutz- University of Maine Research project in collaboration with UNH
Emily Feinberg BU SPH
Gisela Boras DBP RI
Pam High DBP RI
Next we discussed the goal of the meeting which is to leave with two focused activities with deadlines –
which will increase cross program collaboration across the region.
The summit date may be changed based upon a conflict with another meeting PAS. A large number of
the DBP people will be attending the PAS meeting.
December 9, 2009
Minutes recorded by HM Kuhaneck

2. Activities: The group generated a list of activities they are currently involved in that they felt perhaps
could be shared or could generate further collaboration. Participants have:
 Developed an online curriculum for residents, family medicine, psychologists, and child
development practitioners. This curriculum will include videos of typical and atypical
development. The project should be completed by the spring. It will be interactive with links to
other sites as we. There are 3 modules:
 What is autism
 Screening and diagnosis
 Interventions and family resources
 Created a rubric that trainees use to guide their classroom observations
 Created state standards for diagnosis and assessment, who should do it and how
 Created best practice guidelines for interventions using evidence based practices
 Created a state plan with 150 different goals, trained LEND fellows in ADOS, created a website
with current information which was difficult to maintain and keep current
 Created programs to train local docs and providers to do screenings
 Created resource maps for transition services to link transitioning students with adult services
 Created collaborative relationships with local practices to use MCHAT and integrate into medical
records
 Completed second tier LEND training with advanced trainees who have developed inservices for
their own professions
 Created a website developmentalscreening.org
 Created mini fellowships with local practitioners to improve screening and diagnosis
 Created a local autism consortium
 Started the process to examine and compare different methods of screening
 Partnered with local EI providers to address follow-up following positive MCHAT
 Created projects to examine transition services and adult life outcomes, Family Centered
Transition Planning. There will be training materials and products available as outcomes of this
research.
December 9, 2009
Minutes recorded by HM Kuhaneck

3. There was discussion about issues such as the following:
 There was discussion about the need for a video bank of well done videos that people could
download and use for their own trainings.
 How do we let people know what we are doing and share information?
 Can LEND trainees all present their work to let people know what they are doing?
 We need to address issues of funding. How can we get paid for our services so we are not
chasing grant money?
 There was a question about the inclusion of insurance people / Medicaid people at these
meetings
Possible Outcomes
 The themes generated from the discussion included
o Transition services
o Online products and shared videos/training materials, FAQs
o MCHAT and training- what to say when you get a positive screen and best practices for
evaluation of young children- what are the next steps following a positive screen?
 There was discussion about which issues were regional and which were national- and how
national issues can be dealt with differently because of regional differences?
 There was also discussion about which topics would be appropriate given that not everyone in
the group dealt with all aspects of the themes (for example not everyone was involved with
transition directly).
 There was also discussion of other needs
o Information packets for parents that would be given to the docs to give out
o Information for local docs – such as a referral pad with local contacts and referral
information
 Regional Bank of Experts
o Can we create a list of everyone’s professional expertise so people can contact and
assist each other
December 9, 2009
Minutes recorded by HM Kuhaneck

4. Collaborative Products or Outcomes: The items selected included
 ITAC sharepoint site for the region where people can post and share information, videos, and
the list of expertise for technical assistance. A one page survey will be created to ask everyone
in the region to provide their areas of expertise
 Evaluation of this meeting and future meetings
o More time available for people to explain in 5 minutes, what problems and challenges
they have had and what their solutions have been.
Action Items with name and proposed date of completion
 Carol Weisman from Yale will create the one page survey of people’s expertise
Support Needs
 Created of the regional ITAC sharepoint site
December 9, 2009
Minutes recorded by HM Kuhaneck