# Engaging Diverse Stakeholders to Inform Virtual Reality-Based Autism Training

> **NIH NIH R42** · FLOREO, INC. · 2020 · $131,814

## Abstract

Rationale. The originally approved objectives of R42MH115539 include improving police
interaction outcomes by using immersive virtual reality to teach safety skills to individuals with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Community and stakeholder engagement during Phase I and
the first half of Phase II – particularly by individuals from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds –
confirmed that this original objective is more efficiently achieved when police are also
equipped with basic knowledge about autism. Basic knowledge, which includes how autistic
people may respond differently to lights, sirens, physical proximity, weapons, questioning, and
physical touch would help officers respond appropriately to newly learned skills deployed by
individuals with ASD. Importantly, research shows that police respond differentially to members
of racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States, but research samples – including Phase I of
the current project – rarely include representative samples of racial/ethnic minority participants.
This administrative supplement application therefore aims to increase the value of the parent
project by creating companion lessons for police officers that are designed to be used in
conjunction with Floreo’s primary Police Safety Module, and which will include a focus on
inclusion for autistic individuals from minority backgrounds.
 The primary goal of this administrative supplement is to increase research participation and
engagement with members of primarily urban racial/ethnic minority communities in Philadelphia
during Phase II of the parent award. The secondary goal of this supplement is to take
advantage of a short-term opportunity to develop and pilot immersive virtual reality autism
knowledge training for police officers, informed by stakeholder input (autistic individuals and
family members, particularly those from racial/ethnic minority groups, other community
stakeholders, autism experts, and police organizations). This pair of goals was developed in
response to knowledge gained from our oral presentation on this project the annual meeting of
the International Society for Autism Research in May of 2019, and builds on Floreo’s successful
collaboration with the Center for Autism Research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the
Philadelphia Police Department. With this supplement application, Floreo is demonstrating
commitment to “taking advantage of serendipitous and other unanticipated opportunities
to increase the value of the project consistent with the originally approved objectives.”

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9985338
- **Project number:** 3R42MH115539-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** FLOREO, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Julia Parish-Morris
- **Activity code:** R42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $131,814
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9985338

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9985338, Engaging Diverse Stakeholders to Inform Virtual Reality-Based Autism Training (3R42MH115539-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9985338. Licensed CC0.

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