The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) will convene a series of Act Early Summits as a new initiative of the CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign (LTSAE) to address autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disabilities.  LTSAE seeks to increase the awareness of developmental milestones and the importance of early identification and intervention for children. The Act Early Summits will bring together stakeholders to address challenges and opportunities in early identification, diagnosis, and service provision and coordination for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.  Funded through the Combating Autism Act Initiative of 2006, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau has joined with the CDC to sponsor these activities. 

Act Early Summit participants come from state offices on health, early intervention, special education, developmental disabilities, and Head Start, as well as representatives of community service providers, state legislators, pediatric medical home providers, parents and advocacy organizations.  Three additional summits have been scheduled for 2009.  The Region 4A summit was held in Nashville the first week in January, and two others will be held in Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) and Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) later in the year.

The partnerships will enhance the process of identification and diagnosis of autism and will work toward ensuring increased availability of services to identify and support children with autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities and their families. 

The Act Early Summits offer presentations from national autism experts from health, education, and policy domains and interactive sessions to bridge professional disciplines and perspectives. As the pinnacle activity, state teams develop action plans for improving awareness and coordination of service systems within their states. Materials from past Act Early Summits and resources are available at: www.aucd.org. LTSAE campaign materials are available on the CDC Web site: www.cdc.gov/actearly. 

For more information about the “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” campaign, contact Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, FAAP at gpeacock@cdc.gov.