California Monitoring Early Childhood Autism (CA-MECA)

描述（由申请人提供）：根据CDC-RFA-DD06-001（确定儿童早期自闭症谱系障碍患病率的开发方法）…人口)，我们提议在加州卫生服务部（DHS）的领导下，与北加州凯撒医疗机构（KPNC）和加利福尼亚州圣克拉拉县（一个拥有近10万名4岁以下儿童的大型多元文化社区）的多家卫生和教育机构合作，开展加州早期儿童自闭症监测（CA-MECA）项目。这个为期12个月的项目的目标是为4岁以下儿童制定一个多来源的基于人群的自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）监测系统计划，并提高公众对ASD早期识别工作的认识和参与。在当地发展障碍区域中心、当地公共卫生部门、特殊教育部门、医疗服务提供者、日托服务提供者和家长支持团体的帮助下，CA-MECA将1)确定确定4岁以下自闭症儿童或被认为有自闭症“风险”的儿童的来源和数据联系；2)确定患病率估算所需的最佳方法；3)评估建立该体系的可行性、确定的完整性、Dx的有效性，确定全面实施所需资源；4)评估当前的早期筛查工作、诊断实践和转诊模式，并制定策略，以加强该县的ASD筛查和诊断服务，提高对ASD的认识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In response to CDC-RFA-DD06-001 (Developing Methodologies to Determine the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Early Childhood...Populations), we propose a California Monitoring of Early Childhood Autism (CA-MECA) project under the leadership of the California Department of Health Services (DHS) and in partnership with Kaiser Permanente of Northern California (KPNC)and multiple health and education providers in Santa Clara County, California, a large, multi-cultural community with almost 100,000 children <4 years of age. The goal of this 12-month project is to develop a plan for a multi-source population-based Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) surveillance system for children <4 years of age and increase public awareness and participation in ASD early recognition efforts. With the help of local Regional Centers for the Developmentally Disabled, the local public health department, special education department, medical providers, day care providers, and parent support groups, CA-MECA will 1) identify sources and data linkages for ascertainment of children <4 years of age with ASD or who are considered "at risk" of ASD; 2) determine the best methods needed for prevalence estimates; 3) assess the feasibility of establishing this system, completeness of ascertainment, validity of Dx, and determine the necessary resources needed for full implementation; and 4) assess current early screening efforts, diagnostic practices and referral patterns and develop strategies to enhance ASD screening and diagnosis services and ASD awareness in the county. Data from the CA-MECA project may be valuable in a variety of capacities including tracking changes in ASD occurrence over time, identifying ASD risk factors, planning and delivery of ASD related services, identifying underserved subgroups in the population, and improving early screening and diagnostic practices.