• Co-director of clinics at Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
  • Associate professor, Department of Pediatrics
Email
esle0007@umn.edu
Web
midb.umn.edu/staff/amy-esler
Address
Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
Clinical Behavioral Neuroscience [map]
2-349
2025 E River parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Amy Esler is a licensed psychologist and co-director of the clinics at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain at the University of Minnesota. She completed her PhD in school psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her clinical interests include early diagnosis of autism and care and support of individuals with profound autism, fragile X, and other rare genetic conditions. Her research focuses on improving access to care and quality of care, effective interventions for aggression and self-injury, and measurement of behaviors and characteristics for tracking growth and change in development.

Projects

Project

MN Act Early Ambassador

Develops and expands on the Institute's Act Early work in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Act Early is building a national network of agencies, organizations, and professionals …

Project

Minnesota Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (MN-ADDM)

Participates in a national network that increases knowledge about the population of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities in the U.S., comparing how …

Project

ICI Engaged Department Grant Program [Archived]

Creates an infrastructure to grow and develop ongoing community engagement, and to facilitate new initiatives and promote engaged learning on community based action research. In doing so, ICI …

Project

Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program (MNLEND)

Prepares future leaders who will serve children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), other neurodevelopmental and related disabilities (NDDs), and their families in healthcare, education, human …

Project

TeleOutreach Center

The TeleOutreach Center at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain brings together researchers, clinical pediatric providers, and developmental specialists to use technology to understand …

Project

Studying Service Quality Issues and Shortages of Providers, and Expanding Access to Waiver Intervention and Respite Services

This project surveys community providers, data sources, and community partners to assess the current barriers to meeting the needs and expanding service access for people with co-occurring behavior…

Project

Bridging Barriers to Intervention Access for Waitlisted Children with ASD and Their Families

This research project is creating a randomized control trial to learn how to improve outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are waitlisted for diagnostic evaluation or …

Products

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Addressing Standards and Assessments on the IEP (#38)

The purpose of this year 2001 study was to examine state Individualized Education Program (IEP) forms to determine the extent to which they include documentation of standards and assessments.

Published: April 2001

Patterns of Special Education Eligibility and Age of First Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Identification Among US Children with ASD

The study examined timing of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identification in education versus health settings for 8-year-old children with ASD identified through records-based surveillance. The …

Published: 2/25/2022

NCEO Synthesis Reports: Appeals Processes for Students Who Fail Graduation Exams: How Do They Apply to Students with Disabilities? (#36)

A 2000 report of findings about high stakes tests for students with disabilities, and the appeals processes for those who need an alternative way of demonstrating skills. High stakes tests that...

Published: July 2000

Minneapolis Somali Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence Project: Community Report 2013

A report of the findings from the study of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence among Somali and non-Somali children in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Also available, in English and Somali, is a fact...

Published: December 2013

LEND Webinars: Cultural Competence in ASD Assessment and Diagnosis

A Webinar discussing the opportunities and challenges providing ASD assessments and supports across cultures. Understanding culture plays a critical role in interpreting behavior in both the...

Published: October 24, 2013

LEND Webinars: Autism Spectrum Disorders - Diagnosis and Assessment Overview

A Webinar sharing information on best practices and practical strategies for diagnostic assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Drs. Amy Esler and Sara Christianson from the University of...

Published: March 9, 2012

Statewide County-level Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence Estimates — Seven U.S. States, 2018

Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence information is necessary for identifying community needs such as addressing disparities in identification and services. Methods: Seven Autism and …

Published: 2023

Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 Years: Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 sites, United States, 2018

Description of System: The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network is an active surveillance program that estimates ASD prevalence and monitors timing of ASD identification among …

Published: 2021

Psychotropic medication use for adults with autism spectrum disorder who receive services and supports through adult developmental disability services in the United States

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have higher rates of co-occurring diagnoses and use of psychotropic medication prescriptions than people with other developmental disabilities. Few …

Published: 2019-01-31

Disparities in documented diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder based on demographic, individual, and service factors

The objectives of our study were to (a) report how many children met an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) surveillance definition but had no clinical diagnosis of ASD in health or education records …

Published: 2019-12-23

Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020

Description of system: The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network is an active surveillance program that estimates prevalence and characteristics of ASD and monitors timing of …

Published: 2023

The Intersection of Systemic, Child, and Evaluation Factors in the Prediction of Autism Special Education Eligibility; Examining the Role of Race and Ethnicity

Though there is evidence autism identification has been inequitable for populations who are culturally and linguistically minoritized, there is limited research that explains the issue of dispropor…

Published: 2023

Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years: Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2018

Description of System: The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network conducts active surveillance of ASD. This report focuses on the prevalence and characteristics of ASD …

Published: 2021

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Prevalence in Somali and Non-Somali children

The current study presents results from an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) public health surveillance project conducted in Minneapolis. The study was designed to compare ASD prevalence in Somali …

Published: 2016

Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years: Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 sites, United States, 2016

Description of System: The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance program that provides estimates of the prevalence of ASD among children aged 8 …

Published: 2020-03-27

Phenotypic Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Diverse Sample of Somali and Other Children

The potential for culture to impact diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is high, yet remains largely unstudied. This study examined differences across racial/ethnic groups in ASD symptoms, …

Published: 07/08/2017

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Children With Profound Autism, 15 Sites, United States, 2000-2016

Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (autism) is a heterogeneous condition that poses challenges in describing the needs of individuals with autism and making prognoses about future outcomes. We …

Published: 2023

Topics

  • Early education and development
    • Child development
    • Early intervention
    • Early childhood screening and assessment
  • Specific disability
    • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)