# Adapting and Implementing an Integrated Care Model for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Psychiatric Comorbidity

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $203,256

## Abstract

Project Summary. The purpose of this revised K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development Award is to assist the applicant in acquiring the skills needed for an independent research career
in implementation and sustainment of pediatric integrated mental health care for children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD represent a rapidly growing, high-priority clinical population with multiple
service needs including access to effective mental health treatment given high rates of psychiatric comorbidity
when using structured research assessments. Pediatric primary care is a critical and ongoing point of health
care access for children with ASD and thus represents an ideal setting for services linkage and identification of
additional service needs. However, children with ASD have high unmet mental health needs due, in part,
because identifying MH problems in these children is complex, under-identified, and subject to diagnostic
overshadowing in which comorbid mental health problems are overlooked due to a more pronounced condition
like ASD. Given this, efforts to improve integrated primary-mental health care with specific focus on mental
health screening and linkage to mental health care requires a tailored approach for children with ASD. Under
the mentorship of Gregory Aarons, Ph.D. (primary sponsor and mentor) and expert implementation and
services research consultants, the applicant will pursue training in: 1) implementation science theory and
methodology to apply to pediatric integrated health care service delivery models for children with ASD, 2)
pediatric cross-systems research for children with ASD, 3) electronic health record technology in pediatric
primary care to facilitate improved integrated care for children with ASD, and 4) adaptive randomized designs
for large-scale effectiveness and implementation services research. These training goals will facilitate pursuit
of the following research aims: 1) identify targets to improve mental health screening and linkage to mental
health services in primary care for children with ASD, 2) adapt integrated care procedures into “Access To
Tailored Autism INtegrated Care,” ATTAIN, to facilitate identification of mental health problems and linkage to
evidence-based care for youth with ASD, and 3) conduct an open trial feasibility pilot test in pediatric primary
care with providers and caregivers of children with ASD. This proposal strongly aligns with Objective 4.1 of the
NIMH Strategic Plan “improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing mental health services” and research
priorities identified by the HHS Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee through its targeted focus on the
urgent need to improve mental health services access and coordination for children with ASD. The strong
training and research experience will effectively position the applicant for an independent research career that
intersects implementation science and pediatric integrated services resear...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9882330
- **Project number:** 5K23MH110602-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Nicole A Stadnick
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $203,256
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-04-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9882330

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9882330, Adapting and Implementing an Integrated Care Model for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Psychiatric Comorbidity (5K23MH110602-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9882330. Licensed CC0.

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