UW Autism Center

Contact: Annette Estes (estesa@uw.edu), Ilene Schwartz (ilene@uw.edu)
Core Function: Professional Training, Research and Evaluation, Technical Assistance and Outreach Training

This project is a collaboration between CHDD UW Autism Center and Haring Center funded by Alyssa Kreider and Bill Sunderland through the Seattle Foundation Access to On-Time Autism Intervention Fund. Through this collaboration, the two CHDD centers will develop a model program that provides young children with diagnostic evaluations. The goal of this project is that this model program will benefit young children as soon as Autism Spectrum Disorder symptoms emerge with seamless referral, and supportive, evidence-based intervention tailored to each child and family, without waitlists and regardless of ability to pay. This project’s objectives consist of development of best practices for the model program and providing training professionals in school and clinical settings.

Core Function: Clinical Services

The UW Autism Center- Tacoma satellite program provides an array of clinical services and is a vehicle for training professionals and paraprofessionals to meet the needs of individuals with ASD. At the UW Autism Center- Tacoma, diagnostic evaluations and interventions are provided by a multi-disciplinary team that includes psychologists, behavior analysts, and speech / language pathologists. The mission of the UW Autism Center- Tacoma’s training program is to increase the capacity of the South Puget Sound area to serve children with ASD by providing high-quality training to community professionals and students. Community engagement is an integral part of the mission. As founding members of the South Sound Autism Partnership – this coalition of service providers, advocates, families, and community members work together to improve the effectiveness of autism service delivery in the South Puget Sound area.

Contact: UW Autism Center Clinical Services (uwautism@uw.edu)
Core Function: Clinical Services, Information Dissemination, Technical Assistance and Outreach Training

The UW Autism Center’s Clinical Services provide state-of-the-art, comprehensive, coordinated services to families and individuals at risk or with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from birth through early adulthood. Services are provided at both the UW Seattle and UW Tacoma campuses.

• Evaluations: Diagnostic evaluation to determine if a client meets criteria for ASD. Re-Evaluations for previously diagnosed clients who need assessment of current functioning, a second opinion, or updated treatment recommendations.
• Medical Consultation: Short-term consultation with a Developmental Pediatrician to discuss medical concerns such as, seizures, motor disorders, genetic concerns, or related issues.
• Sleep Clinic: Interdisciplinary team consultation to address behavioral and medical factors contributing to sleep concerns in children up to the age of 18.
• Infant Clinic: A clinic for children 24 months and younger dedicated to early detection, monitoring, and intervention when concerns about ASD are present.
• Speech Services: Assessment and treatment to help individuals with ASD learn strategies to interact and communicate. We also offer feeding services and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
• Social Skills Groups: Small group programs provide children and adolescents with tools for navigating their social environment.
• Psychological Therapy: Psychotherapy with parents, siblings or individuals with ASD to address difficulties with mood, life skills, daily coping, and interpersonal relationships.
• APEX Summer Camp Program: Provides peer experiences to children with ASD and builds social and behavioral skills in real-world environments. APEX includes a 5-week intensive summer camp program, a weekly booster program, and other programing throughout the year.
• Applied Behavior Analysis Intervention Services: Our Behavior and Education Consultants provide evidence-based treatment based on the principles of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), identify individualized goals to teach new skills and address challenging behaviors, develop learning activities and support individuals with ASD in a variety of settings.
  • Intensive In-Home ABA Programs
  • Short-Term Consultation
  • Parent Coaching
• ABA Launch Program: The University of Washington Autism Center’s ABA LAUNCH Program is a clinic-based, short-term, comprehensive and intensive early intervention program for children up to six years of age with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This program offers an initial foundation of evidence-based, high-quality, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services and parent education/support to families currently waiting to receive ongoing therapy services.
• Client-Focused Skills Coaching: Consultants work directly with client with ASD to develop specific identified skills and reduce challenging behaviors.
• Occupational Therapy: Uses meaningful activities with specific goals to help people lessen or adapt to disabilities that can co-occur with autism.

Contact: Annette Estes (estesa@uw.edu)
Core Function: Information Dissemination, Technical Assistance and Outreach Training

The UW Autism Center works to increase knowledge and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related developmental disabilities among professionals and the public. It aims to promote detection of ASD, inform the community of effective intervention and life-span support, and to learn from community partners to increase the availability of innovative, effective, and supportive programs for individuals with ASD and their families.

• Community Events: The UW Autism Center participates in many community events including the Autism Speaks Walk, Seattle Symphony Sensory Friendly Concert Series, Lewis County Autism Coalition Conference, Microsoft Giving Campaign, Seattle Mariners Autism Speaks Event, Run 2 Pieces, Infant and Early Childhood Conference, Tee It Up Fore Autism, Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy Day out for Autism, and the UW Autism Center Open House.
• Community Engagement Materials: The UW Autism Center develops materials such as newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, and guides that serve to increase acceptance of ASD and communicate about the work of the UW Autism Center.
• Website and Toll Free Number: The UW Autism Center maintains https://depts.washington.edu/uwautism/ and a toll-free information and resource line (1-877-408-8922).

Contact: Ella Vanderbilt-Adriance (elv4@uw.edu)
Core Function: Professional Training

The UW Autism Center Education and Preservice Training Program offers clinical training and supervisory experience to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in clinical psychology, school psychology, speech- language pathology, education, and related disciplines with the goal of preparing future professionals to provide direct service to or conduct research with children, adolescents, and adults with ASD. Training experiences are available to students at different levels of education, and may occur in either a research or clinical setting.

• Practicum placements of nine to twelve months are offered to graduate students in clinical psychology or school psychology, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, graduate students in Speech-language pathology under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist.
• UWAC is an approved Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) practicum site for the UW College of Education ABA Master’s degree program (one year commitment).
• Post-doctoral training is open to graduates in the fields of clinical psychology, developmental psychology, school psychology, and education, and related fields and typically occurs in the context of on-going research projects at the UW Autism Center.
• Students may take classes offered by faculty affiliated with the UW Autism Center.

Contact: Robin Talley (rtalley@uw.edu)
Core Function: Professional Training

The mission of the UWAC Professional Training and Consultation Program is to provide high-quality training and consultation to community professionals, parents and caregivers, and educators who interact with and serve autistic individuals across the Pacific Northwest.

• Professional Training Program at UWAC:The UW Autism Center training program is here to help schools and agencies provide evidence-based programs and increase accessibility and acceptance for autistic individuals. Our experienced, multi-disciplinary staff provides workshops to meet the specific needs of educators and community providers. Workshops can be tailored for those with beginning through advanced levels of knowledge and experience. Workshops focus on topics such as Addressing Challenging Behaviors, Applied Behavior Analysis, Autistic Culture and Neurodiversity, Strengths Based Assessment and Intervention, and ADOS-2.  For current offerings, check our website: https://depts.washington.edu/uwautism/training/
• Professional Training and Consultation in the Community:The UWAC also provides in-service training and consultation to schools, community agencies, and mental health settings.  Services include workshops individualized to the needs of the requesting agency, program consultation, and student consultation.  Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) can also be provided.
• APEX Summer Camp Counselor Training: Over 40 graduate and undergraduate students from around the world participate in an intensive 7-week clinical internship at the APEX Summer Camp program, including 2 weeks of training and 5 weeks of direct intervention using evidence-based practices.