Workforce perspective on racial and ethnic equity in early childhood autism evaluation and treatment: "The cornerstone of everything we do".
A BuckSophie R HurewitzM Scotton FranklinPublished in: Autism : the international journal of research and practice (2024)
These findings show the need for improved workforce diversity, autism-specific education, payment structures, and additional support for workforce members to avoid burnout. To make childhood autism services more equitable, diversity in recruitment across training levels, cultural awareness, increased autism education for all pediatric providers, and partnerships with caregivers as experts must be prioritized. These investments in the autism workforce will allow professionals in the field to better meet the needs of children and families from Black and non-White Latinx communities and achieve equity in early childhood autism services.