Temporary moratorium on new ASD outpatient referrals for evaluation or treatment at the CSATC (Sarkine)
From Riley/IU Health:
Dear Referring Provider:
Approximately 1 in 68 children in Indiana will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and early intensive services can positively affect the course of the disorder. As the demand for ASD-related services has grown, the Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center (CSATC) has expanded to better serve our state. The Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at Riley, which will also serve individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, is scheduled to open later this year. However, expanding our services to meet this population’s needs has resulted in a decrease in outpatient provider availability. Although we continue to try to recruit highly trained professionals, the reality is that we cannot maintain our current level of services with the providers available.
We therefore regret to inform you that at this time we are placing a temporary moratorium on new ASD outpatient referrals for evaluation or treatment at the CSATC at Riley Hospital for Children for at least the next 6 months. Please understand that we have made (and will continue to make) significant efforts to expand our services in order to accommodate every referral, but we were forced to take this temporary action in order to effectively serve our existing patients. Riley Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic is still accepting referrals for patients with other diagnoses in our ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders clinics. We will continue to schedule patients and families who are already on the CSATC waitlist as openings become available for initial evaluation and behavioral therapy only, but no new patients will be added to the waitlist. We will be unable to provide medication management for the majority of patients currently on the waitlist.
We realize how challenging it may be to find autism specialists to provide services throughout the State of Indiana. Two websites have directories that will assist with the search for other agencies and providers to refer to in your area or surrounding areas: arnionline.org and ask.org. We also encourage individuals with waiver approval seek assistance through the Indiana Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services. Please also be aware that the HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center continues to be able to assist patients (and their families and providers) with ASD and related disorders with resources, workshops, trainings, consultations, and services related to educational, vocational and related needs. Those wanting to learn more about these opportunities can contact HANDS at 317.944.8162, Option 0; email at hands@iupui.edu or visit http://handsinautism.iupui.edu/.
We will review the status of the new outpatient referral moratorium in 6 months. Our hope is that we will be able to resume accepting new referrals in the near future. In the meantime, we will be redesigning our model of care to increase access to our autism services, and we hope to inform you of this new model, which will allow for more efficient allocation of our clinical resources, soon. We appreciate the referrals you have made to our clinic and look forward to continued close collaborations to improve the quality of life of the patients we share. We will contact you as soon as we are able to accommodate new referrals again.
Sincerely, David Dunn MD Jill Fodstad PhD, Cassie Karlsson MD, Director, Child Psychiatry Noha Minshawi PhD, Martin Plawecki MD, PhD Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center Naomi Swiezy, PhD HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center
Dear Referring Provider:
Approximately 1 in 68 children in Indiana will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and early intensive services can positively affect the course of the disorder. As the demand for ASD-related services has grown, the Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center (CSATC) has expanded to better serve our state. The Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit at Riley, which will also serve individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, is scheduled to open later this year. However, expanding our services to meet this population’s needs has resulted in a decrease in outpatient provider availability. Although we continue to try to recruit highly trained professionals, the reality is that we cannot maintain our current level of services with the providers available.
We therefore regret to inform you that at this time we are placing a temporary moratorium on new ASD outpatient referrals for evaluation or treatment at the CSATC at Riley Hospital for Children for at least the next 6 months. Please understand that we have made (and will continue to make) significant efforts to expand our services in order to accommodate every referral, but we were forced to take this temporary action in order to effectively serve our existing patients. Riley Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic is still accepting referrals for patients with other diagnoses in our ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders clinics. We will continue to schedule patients and families who are already on the CSATC waitlist as openings become available for initial evaluation and behavioral therapy only, but no new patients will be added to the waitlist. We will be unable to provide medication management for the majority of patients currently on the waitlist.
We realize how challenging it may be to find autism specialists to provide services throughout the State of Indiana. Two websites have directories that will assist with the search for other agencies and providers to refer to in your area or surrounding areas: arnionline.org and ask.org. We also encourage individuals with waiver approval seek assistance through the Indiana Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services. Please also be aware that the HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center continues to be able to assist patients (and their families and providers) with ASD and related disorders with resources, workshops, trainings, consultations, and services related to educational, vocational and related needs. Those wanting to learn more about these opportunities can contact HANDS at 317.944.8162, Option 0; email at hands@iupui.edu or visit http://handsinautism.iupui.edu/.
We will review the status of the new outpatient referral moratorium in 6 months. Our hope is that we will be able to resume accepting new referrals in the near future. In the meantime, we will be redesigning our model of care to increase access to our autism services, and we hope to inform you of this new model, which will allow for more efficient allocation of our clinical resources, soon. We appreciate the referrals you have made to our clinic and look forward to continued close collaborations to improve the quality of life of the patients we share. We will contact you as soon as we are able to accommodate new referrals again.
Sincerely, David Dunn MD Jill Fodstad PhD, Cassie Karlsson MD, Director, Child Psychiatry Noha Minshawi PhD, Martin Plawecki MD, PhD Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center Naomi Swiezy, PhD HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center
Comments