1. Your child has been diagnosed
with Autism Spectrum Disorder
● Now What?
●Contact the Infants & Toddlers Program in your jurisdiction.
Your child could meet the criteria for early intervention
services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA). http://marylandpublicschools.
org/MSDE/divisions/earlyinterv/infant_toddlers/directories/lo
cal_program.htm
1-800-535-0182
●Put your child’s name on Autism Waiver Registry
immediately! Call 866-417-3480
●Seek supports and resources for your family!

2. Maryland Infants & Toddlers
Program
●The State of Maryland, as required by the
IDEA, affirmatively attempts to locate,
identify, and evaluate all children with
disabilities at no cost to families.
●Mission and focus: To ensure that every
child has a place in the community and the
best possible chance to succeed.

3. What is “The Autism Waiver?”
The Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services
Waiver for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
●Administered in collaboration with the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH)
●Serves 900 children with ASDs
●Provides free services to maintain children with ASDs in
their home and community:
●Intensive Individual Support Services
●Respite Care
●Family Training
●Environmental Adaptations
●Therapeutic Integration
●Adult Life Planning

4. Creating Effective Intervention
Programs for Children with Autism
●Comprehensive assessment of skills,
needs, and challenges
●Clearly defined goals/objectives
●Effective teaching strategies
●Progress monitoring
●Comprehensive team approach

5. Keep in Mind…
“…Educational services should include a
minimum of 25 hours per week, 12 months
per year, in which the child is engaged in
systematically planned, developmentally
appropriate educational activity aimed
toward identified objectives…”
(National Research Center, 2001)

6. Resources
● Autism Society of America
●Education, advocacy, services, research and
support
●http://www.autism-society.org/
●1-800-328-8476

7. Resources
● Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit
●Action planning for the first 100 days after a
diagnosis of autism
http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-
services/tool-kits/100-day-kit

8. Resources
● Pathfinders for Autism
●We’re newly diagnosed. Where do we begin? http:
//www.pathfindersforautism.
org/articles/category/newly-diagnosed
●This site provides a comprehensive listing of the
variety of supports, services, and resources
available in Maryland

9. Resources
● Maryland State Department of Education
■ AutismConnect
■This site contains recommendations made in the
Autism Task Force Report, released in 2004, as
well as MSDE research, education, and advocacy
initiatives and partnerships focused on autism.
● www.autismconnectmd.org

10. Resources
● Maryland State Department of Education
●The Early Childhood Gateway
●A resource for providers and families with young
children with disabilities, birth through five
http://www.mdecgateway.org/home

11. Family Support Services
●Maryland has Family Support Services
Coordinators in each jurisdiction that assist
families of children with disabilities ages birth
to 21. A directory of Family Support Services
is on the web at www.mdecgateway.org.
For additional information, call:
●
1-800-535-0182

12. Questions?
Contact:
Karla M. Saval, M.Ed.
Interagency Staff Specialist- Autism, Children’s Mental
Health
Maryland State Department of Education
Division of Special Education/
Early Intervention Services
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
ksaval@msde.state.md.us
(410)767-0827