The Autism Treatment Network: Bringing Best Practices to All Children With Autism
The Autism Treatment Network and Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical abstract
Health were established in 2008 with goals of improving understanding of the medical aspects
of autism spectrum disorders. Over the past decade, the combined network has conducted
.2 dozen clinical studies, established clinical pathways for best practice, developed tool kits
for professionals and families to support better care, and disseminated these works through
numerous presentations at scientific meetings and publications in medical journals. As the
joint network enters its second decade continuing this work, it is undergoing a transformation
to increase these activities and accelerate their incorporation into clinical care at the primary
care and specialty care levels. In this article, we describe the past accomplishments and
present activities. We also outline planned undertakings such as the establishment of the
Autism Learning Health Network, the increasing role of family members as co-producers of
the work of the network, the growth of clinical trials activities with funding from foundations
and industry, and expansion of work with primary care practices and autism specialty centers.
We also discuss the challenges of supporting network activities and potential solutions to
sustain the network.