PLEASE NOTE: We are only accepting registration from NJPPC members. A confirmation email will be sent to you upon review. Please email mhc@njaap.org with any questions.
Thank you for your interest in the ECHO Autism Communities Early Diagnostic Model Series. This program is being offered by NJAAP's Project ECHO Hub in collaboration with The New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative (NJPPC). Our team is excited to partner with you and other clinicians to improve and expand care for autistic people.
The ECHO Autism Communities Early Diagnostic Model Series is designed to equip primary care clinicians (PCPs) to screen, evaluate, and diagnose autism in young children (14-48 months) with straightforward (unambiguous) characteristics of autism. Participants will also learn autism best practices for longitudinal follow-up care post diagnosis. ECHO Autism Communities programs provide guided practice to PCPs as they master autism best practices for primary care.
Participants will receive training on the STAT screening tool. The STAT (Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children) is a level 2 screener that is empirically based and interactive. It was developed to screen young children for autism and designed for use by community service clinicians who work with young children in primary care assessment or intervention settings. The STAT instrument provides clinicians with a standardized clinical observation of the social-communicative and play challenges often found in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The STAT instrument has shown to have great sensitivity and specificity as a measure of early autism detection. When utilized in conjunction with a diagnostic interview, a developmental screener such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, and a DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, trained clinicians have demonstrated to be able to provide accurate and early diagnosis of ASD.
Who is eligible to attend the ECHO Autism Communities STAT Instrument Training?
Participants will receive training on the STAT screening tool. The STAT (Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children) is a level 2 screener that is empirically based and interactive. It was developed to screen young children for autism and designed for use by community service clinicians who work with young children in primary care assessment or intervention settings. The STAT instrument provides clinicians with a standardized clinical observation of the social-communicative and play challenges often found in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The STAT instrument has shown to have great sensitivity and specificity as a measure of early autism detection. When utilized in conjunction with a diagnostic interview, a developmental screener such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, and a DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, trained clinicians have demonstrated to be able to provide accurate and early diagnosis of ASD.
Who is eligible to attend the ECHO Autism Communities STAT Instrument Training?
NJPPC Members who are family physicians, pediatricians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who work with young children including children under the age of 4.
What can you expect if you participate in the ECHO Autism Early Diagnostic Model Series?
· Complete a training agreement/MOU which outlines program
attendance, case presentation, and survey completion
commitments.
· Attend a two-day STAT instrument training in-person at the
NJPPC Jersey Shore office (1340 Campus Pkwy suite c4, Wall Township, NJ 07753) on November 12th (8 am-4 pm) & November 13th (8 am-3 pm).
· Participate in a year-long training program which begins
November 12th with the STAT instrument training at our NJPPC Jersey Shore office.
· Attend ECHO Autism: Primary Care Early Diagnosis zoom
sessions on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from
12:30 pm-2 pm starting December 2025 through November 2026.
The sessions include a short didactic (knowledge burst) and case-based learning opportunities.
*(2nd & 4th Thursdays in Jan. 2026)
· Complete steps to become reliable on the STAT instrument
which will be described in detail if you are interested in the
training and program.
Next Steps:
Please complete the following questionnaire. Once the questionnaire has been completed, the ECHO Autism Communities training team will review responses. You will receive an email from the training team to confirm your eligibility for the training and to provide you with information on next steps.
What can you expect if you participate in the ECHO Autism Early Diagnostic Model Series?
· Complete a training agreement/MOU which outlines program
attendance, case presentation, and survey completion
commitments.
· Attend a two-day STAT instrument training in-person at the
NJPPC Jersey Shore office (1340 Campus Pkwy suite c4, Wall Township, NJ 07753) on November 12th (8 am-4 pm) & November 13th (8 am-3 pm).
· Participate in a year-long training program which begins
November 12th with the STAT instrument training at our NJPPC Jersey Shore office.
· Attend ECHO Autism: Primary Care Early Diagnosis zoom
sessions on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from
12:30 pm-2 pm starting December 2025 through November 2026.
The sessions include a short didactic (knowledge burst) and case-based learning opportunities.
*(2nd & 4th Thursdays in Jan. 2026)
· Complete steps to become reliable on the STAT instrument
which will be described in detail if you are interested in the
training and program.
Next Steps:
Please complete the following questionnaire. Once the questionnaire has been completed, the ECHO Autism Communities training team will review responses. You will receive an email from the training team to confirm your eligibility for the training and to provide you with information on next steps.