Recommendations: Medical, Behavioral Health & Dental Services

Medical, Behavioral Health & Dental Services / Recommendations / Current Activities in GA

Recommendation 1:

Increase training for physicians, behavioral health professionals, and dentists on how to best serve children with autism.

• Objective 1a: Create, implement and evaluate training with content that improves provider knowledge of autism, as well as strategies to enhance interactions with children, youth and adults with autism and their families.

Recommendation 2:

Increase number of providers that offer the medical home model of service, which will improve system navigation for families and potentially reduce long periods of time in between appointments.

• Objective 2a: Partner with the Georgia AFP to expand current national training offerings to a wider variety of primary care practices in Georgia.
• Objective 2b: Partner with medical residency and other health provider training programs to provide education on the medical home model.
• Objective 2c: Partner with the Georgia Chapter of the AAP to increase the utilization of the medical home model through conferences and other Continuing Medical Education opportunities. These trainings should be advertised locally and should be made available to private practices, community health centers, and rural providers alike.
• Objective 2d: Demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a family navigator working within primary care practices to improve coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous care for children and youth with autism and their families.