Autism Research Program

Services and Resources for Providers

Kaiser Permanente Services

Kaiser Permanente San Jose ASD Center:

In addition to screening, assessment, and clinical consultation, the Kaiser Permanente San Jose ASD Center is collaborating on large-scale, federally funded research projects with principal investigator Lisa A. Croen, PhD, of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research (DOR) Autism Research Program. Dr. Croen is a perinatal epidemiologist who has been involved in autism research for more than 15 years.

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.

Other Resources

Autism Research Program materials:

• Autism Parent Handbook - Answers to common questions about autism for parents and family members. This book explains the basics of autism and where to find resources. It is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Please call us at 1-866-279-0733 if you would like to order free copies of the handbook.
• Fact Sheet about Autism Recurrence - Questions and answers regarding the chance that a younger brother or sister of a child with ASD will also have ASD. Developed by the EARLI Network; includes references.
• Fact Sheet about Thimerosal in Vaccines and ASD - Summary of recently Pediatrics article in which Kaiser Permanente was one of three large managed-care organizations providing the strongest evidence to date that immunizations with thimerosal-containing vaccines during pregnancy or in the first two years of life does not increase a child's risk of developing autism.
• Autism Research Program Flyer - A 2-sided bilingual flyer (English & Spanish) parents can post in libraries, schools, and community agencies to help raise awareness of opportunities for parents to participate in ground-breaking autism research.
• Sam Goes to the Clinic (English & Spanish) - A short story with simple language and colorful pictures to prepare a child for a visit to the clinic if families take part in a research study. The details in the story may vary depending on the nature of the study

Health Care Provider Resource Kit

Developmental Milestones Checklist