For the first time, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, as part of the Kids Alliance for Better Care program, hosted the Autism in Rural Georgia Conference on July 17–18. Held on Mercer University’s Macon campus, the two-day conference brought together more than 130 families, caregivers, educators and health care professionals from across the state to explore how best to support and understand autistic youth in rural communities.
Access to diagnostic, treatment and intervention resources for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is severely lacking in rural Georgia. Residents in these areas already face significant geographic and financial barriers to accessing primary care, and those barriers are even greater when it comes to autism-related services. The number of providers who can diagnose and treat autistic youth is limited and often concentrated in metro Atlanta, leaving rural families with few options.
This conference was designed to spark conversations that help bridge gaps in care for rural communities.
On the first day of the conference, attendees heard from six presenters who shared current insights and research on topics essential to those working with autistic youth. Presentations included:
- What Every Community Needs to Know about Supporting Autistic Children and Their Families by Nathan Call, PhD, BCBA-D, Vice President, Marcus Autism Center
- Katie Becket 101 & Beyond by Debbie Dobbs, MS, founder & managing director, Debbie Dobbs Advocacy, LLC
- Georgia’s Autism State Plan: An Overview by Maliha Haider-Bardill, Autism Project Manager, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Office of Crisis and Transition Services
- Informational Barriers to Autism Health Care and the Autism ToolKit by Sarah Rotschafer, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine
- Navigating Feeding Challenges for Children on the Autism Spectrum by Emily Kate Rubio, PhD, BCBA, Licensed Psychologist, Marcus Autism Center
- Tackling the Transition: Maximizing Adulthood on the Spectrum by Kirnel D. Grishby, PhD, President & CEO of REACH A.K.G. Education Consultants, LLC
On the second day, attendees participated in two breakout sessions designed to provide practical information on issues most affecting households with autistic youth. These hands-on sessions offered actionable tools attendees could bring back to their homes and communities.
One of the sessions offered was Connecting Through Communication, presented by TeamUp Therapy. Led by Chris Moates, MBA, CEO, and Ashley Moates, CCC-SLP, clinical director, the session taught attendees simple, practical ways to support communication with children and teens with autism. Participants left with tools to encourage connection and communication during everyday routines.
The second session, The Behavioral Blueprint: Practical Strategies to Shape Better Outcomes, was led by Jeniffer M. Hodnett, Ph.D., BCBA-D, program manager of the Intensive Outpatient Program at Marcus Autism Center. Attendees were introduced to strategies for modifying environments, conducting preference assessments, and de-escalating challenging behavior.
The conference was created with the hope that attendees would take what they learned back to their communities and share knowledge and resources with those who need them most.