MN Act Early Funded for Two More Years

Funding for the Institute’s MN Act Early program has been renewed for another two years by the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) through a subcontract from the Minnesota Department of Health. The $20,000 grant began April 1, 2016. MN Act Early promotes early identification, screening, and intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders and related neurodevelopmental disabilities in culturally and linguistically diverse communities across Minnesota. “Feedback from within the community tells us that the message needs to come from trusted community members, advocates, and other parents,” says project director Jennifer Hall-Lande. “While the political momentum and support for increased outreach to these communities exists, we are lacking a coordinated systems model to address these needs.” With its new funding, MN Act Early will increase and integrate parent-led developmental monitoring in diverse communities. Year 1 will emphasize building and establishing the model with a focus on training and educating parent delegates on the importance of parent-led developmental monitoring. Year 2 will emphasize packaging and integrating the model into parent organizations and larger systems to ensure its sustainability.