Children whose parents are in the military often face challenges that many civilians do not. That is especially true if the children are on the autism spectrum disorder.
Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST) is a website dedicated to helping families whose children are on the spectrum. They offer valuable tips and services that help parents navigate the treatment area of this diagnosis. One area they help with is families who have children on the spectrum and parents who are in the military.
In addition to Parent Tip Sheets there is also the AST blog , online seminars, and frequently asked questions.
Not only is having a parent in the military difficult for children on the spectrum, having a child on the spectrum is difficult for the parent in the military! AST works with parents to offer support for them as well. Sabrina D. Daneshvar, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is the Director of Clinical Services in San Diego for
Autism Spectrum Therapies. She answered questions via email:
Examiner: What are military doctors doing to treat children with autism?
Dr. Daneshvar: It is estimated that approximately 8,500 children of active duty United States service members are on the autism spectrum. The Military Health Insurance System, Tricare, has a program that funds intervention services for these families, the Autism Demonstration Project. Currently, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the only service accepted by Tricare to treat the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. To access ABA services through the Autism Demonstration Project, a family needs to be a dependent of an active duty service member, live in the continental United States, Alaska or Hawaii, be 18 months or older, and be registered in Tricare’s Extended Health Care Option Program (ECHO) and Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). Lastly, the child needs to receive a diagnosis from a Tricare authorized physician who will then make the referral for autism/ABA services to a company like Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST).
Examiner: What are the out of pocket costs for military parents of special needs kids?
Dr. Daneshvar: The ECHO program covers a maximum yearly amount for services for each child with special needs. The family is responsible for a co-payment which varies from family to family. However, the co-payment is a reasonable amount. The goal of the Autism Demonstration Project is to make autism services affordable and accessible for all military families.
Examiner: How do autism services/treatments differ in terms of what’s available to military families vs. civilian families?
Dr. Daneshvar: Autism services for civilian families vary from state to state. Recently, more civilian insurance companies are beginning to offer coverage for autism intervention, something we at Autism Spectrum Therapies wholeheartedly support. The choice of autism treatment can greatly impact a child’s progress and quality of life; therefore it is important that intervention is started early, as soon as there is any suspicion of a developmental delay. Families may be faced with a number of therapy approaches to consider. It is important for them to know that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services, like the ones provided by Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST), are the most well-researched and scientifically validated methods for treating autism.
Examiner: How might autism especially impact military families?
Dr. Daneshvar: One of the biggest challenges we see at Autism Spectrum Therapies in our work with military families is the difficulty children often have when a parent is deployed for a long period of time. Having a parent leave is difficult for all children but especially for children with autism who tend to rely on predictability and are comforted by routines. Therefore, we work closely with the family and the child to prepare them for this separation and make it as smooth as possible. One of the targets areas of our programs is often to work on increasing flexibility and the ability to accept changes.
Examiner: What happens to the child who is on the spectrum, and whose parent(s) are active-duty service personnel, once that child reaches adulthood? We all know that early intervention is best and that ABA is the most research, scientifically-proven method to help ASD children, but what happens if they grow up and cannot live independently... are there programs in the military to help these children when they turn 18 or 21?
Dr. Daneshvar: Once an individual with autism becomes ineligible for military health benefits due to age, there are state, community and local resources which provide assisted living, transportation, job coaching and various other supports; these supports vary state by state. In addition, some health insurance plans cover services for individuals with autism, depending on the state of residence.