Autism Family Advocacy - Community Partnerships

This grant brings together graduate students in the M.S.ED. ABA, ABA Course Sequence for the BCBA® Exam, Ph.D. School Psychology & Psy.D. School Psychology programs, university faculty and clinicians at Keystone ABA in Pittsburgh to co-deliver a family advocacy training program for families of young children with autism, grounded in a compassionate care approach that centers respect, trust and empathy in every interaction. Families will learn how to navigate the systems that shape their child's access to services, from Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) to insurance authorizations and the transition between school and clinic-based care. Graduate students, in turn, will gain direct experience applying research methods and behavioral principles alongside experienced clinicians, coordinating data collection and learning to translate academic theory into compassionate, accessible support for families navigating discrimination, language barriers and unfamiliar bureaucratic processes. In this exchange, students build clinical and research skills rooted in compassion, while families gain a stronger voice in systems that can unfortunately, at times, overlook them.

What makes this project especially important is the population it serves. Children with disabilities face a significantly higher risk of abuse and neglect than their peers, in part because communication difficulties can prevent them from disclosing harm, and unmet service needs can compound this vulnerability over time. Families who are already stretched thin by poverty, language barriers or distrust of institutions are the least likely to receive structured advocacy support, even though they stand to benefit the most. Without knowing how to advocate for services their children are legally entitled to, families can face delays or gaps in care that follow their children well beyond early childhood.

By pairing graduate students and university researchers with highly skilled and respected community-based practitioners, the project builds a training model that is grounded in evidence, compassion and immediately usable by the families it serves. Once refined, the curriculum will be shared with other ABA clinics and university training programs, extending its reach well beyond this first cohort of families. Ultimately, every family who becomes a more confident and effective advocate translates directly into a child who is more likely to receive the timely, appropriate and compassionate care they need to thrive.

Dr. Reva Mathieu's innovative project exemplifies how faculty-led research grounded in compassionate care prepares graduate students to make an impact — both in their professional development and in the lives of the families and children they serve. Her ongoing work on compassionate care within ABA continues to shape how the field builds trust and respect with those it serves, and this project extends that commitment directly into the community. We look forward to this collaboration unfolding and are excited for the impact it will make in the community.

 

Facility photos are courtesy of Keystone ABA.