Adolescent autism services driven by collaborative care
The HANDS in Autism team has extensive interdisciplinary experience collaborating with educational professionals, medical and community providers, and other diverse professionals.
Programming though HANDS in Autism was designed to respond to the growing need in the state of Indiana using an evidence-based, comprehensive model with capacity for implementation across settings and use as a teaching hub.
A state-of-the-art adolescent autism services unit within the larger Indiana NeuroDiagnostic Institute and Advanced Treatment Center (NDI) is located on the campus of Community East Hospital. The unit was a partnership for stabilization and transition with sights on sustainability and prevention of re-admission as well as true integration within the community. The service is overseen by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction.
From January 2020 thru April 2024, the NDI multidisciplinary collaborator team included:
- HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center (IU School of Medicine): Pre-hospitalization needs assessment; on-site support of unit employees and patients; family, school, and community training, and post-hospitalization support for sustainability.
- Damar: Day-to-day operation of the 10-bed unit at the NDI. Provision of education services, stabilization of behavior, ABA, and behavioral training supports. Helping individuals develop functional and self-management skills general to the home and community living. Watch a video tour of Damar on Vimeo.
- IU School of Medicine (Department of Psychiatry) and IU Health: providers and faculty working closely with Damar to provide medical, psychiatric and behavioral sciences supports