PLAY Project: Impressive Tool for ASD Services- 04/2020 Position Paper

PLAY Project Position Paper Summary:

In this Position Paper, we explore expanding insurance coverage of the PLAY Project to support developmental and relationship-based treatment of young Ohioans living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This paper examines how we provide services to children with autism at OhioGuidestone, and why we think the PLAY Project is so important.

At OhioGuidestone, we recognize a variety of options exist for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Those include commonly used interventions such as applied behavior analysis (ABA). However, we advocate for the treatment of children presenting mild to moderate symptoms using models that incorporate parents and focus on improving social interaction skills. as opposed to reformatting behaviors.

In this paper, we suggest that the PLAY Project be initially considered as the primary treatment for children 0-8 years old diagnosed with autism who do not demonstrate significantly impaired social interactions. We also advocate for its inclusion in expanded insurance coverage by Ohio providers, including Medicaid.

Read this paper below and visit our Position Papers page to explore the rest of our releases.

Who Should Read This Position Paper?

At the Institute, our Position Papers are accessible and free to anyone looking to learn! However, we encourage the following groups to use this paper and the contents immediately to better improve behavioral healthcare for our communities:

• Managed Care Organizations
• Individuals with ASD and their families
• Policymakers
• Clinicians
• Advocates for ASD
• Intervention specialists

What’s Inside?

• Takeaways and action items.
• About Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • 3 Function Levels of Autism
• How Autism is Treated
• OhioGuidestone’s Approach to ASD Treatment
• About the PLAY Project
  • How it differs from ABA and why it is more helpful.
• Advocacy for insurance coverage.
  • 5 Reasons why insurance should cover parent-implemented models for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Advocacy for parent-centered practices.
  • Information about Joyful Together, our parent-centered innovation.
• References and Resources

Feedback & Questions

The Institute of Family & Community Impact, an initiative of OhioGuidestone, understands all of our work is informed by the communities we serve. Have questions about who we are or what we do? Or have a suggestion for a future Position Paper topic? Visit our FAQ page or contact us today.