# Adapting an advocacy services intervention for Latinx families of transition-aged youth with autism spectrum disorder

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN · 2022 · $75,424

## Abstract

When youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) transition from school to adult services, they fall off a
“service cliff.” To increase access to services, Drs. Burke (PI) and Taylor (Consultant) developed the ASSIST
program, which teaches parents how to advocate for adult services on behalf of their youth with ASD. In a pilot
randomized controlled trial (RCT: R34 MH104428), treatment group (versus control) participants demonstrated
significantly improved knowledge of adult services, advocacy, and empowerment. Sons/daughters of treatment
group participants had increased access to services. For advocacy services interventions like ASSIST to be
equitable, they need to reach families who are at greatest risk for service disparities. Latinx youth with ASD are
one such underserved population. Relative to White youth, Latinx youth with ASD receive significantly fewer
post-secondary education, health, and employment services and face worse post-school outcomes. In addition
to the barriers which hinder service access for all families, Latinx families face unique barriers to service
access (e.g., language, cultural differences, citizenship, discrimination) making them a marginalized
population. In this project, we are adapting the ASSIST curriculum and related measures for Latinx parents of
transition-aged youth with ASD. Specifically, we will leverage ASSIST data and data from Latinx, non-ASSIST
parents to inform adaptations to the ASSIST curriculum. We will also conduct pre-testing and a cross-cultural
adaptation process to revise the ASSIST measures for Latinx families. We will test the adapted ASSIST
curriculum with a randomized controlled trial to determine its feasibility, acceptability and efficacy on
intervention targets (knowledge, advocacy, and empowerment) and outcome of interest (service access). This
project is aligned with NIMH priorities by examining services from adolescence to adulthood (PA-21-199) and
by adapting a program to improve mental health services for underserved populations NIMH 2020 Strategic
plan). It is also responsive to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee core value of “equity” in reducing
disparities with respect to cultural backgrounds. Further, if successful, it will be the first intervention to directly
address service disparities for Latinx families of youth with ASD who are transitioning to adulthood.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10590908
- **Project number:** 1R03MH129757-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
- **Principal Investigator:** Meghan Burke
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $75,424
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-20 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10590908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10590908, Adapting an advocacy services intervention for Latinx families of transition-aged youth with autism spectrum disorder (1R03MH129757-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10590908. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*