Laredo disability group works to map ASD diagnostic and post‑diagnosis pathways; childcare providers seek training

Members of the Community for Global Disabilities on July 16 discussed a new effort to create a parent‑facing flowchart and a medication/diagnostic pathway to clarify what happens if a caregiver or provider suspects a child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The committee agreed to continue monthly strategic‑plan updates and to develop tools that community preschools, pediatricians and families can use to navigate Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) referrals and school‑age evaluation processes.

The work springs from committee members’ concerns that families often do not know where to get help when children age out of ECI at 3 and before they enter public school. “The only issue that we have is that… once we get to 3 and the parent decides not to take them to the district, we don’t know what else to do,” said Jody Zamora, founder of Shining Stars Learning Academy, during public comment. Zamora said many small preschools serve children through age 5 but lack training and clear referral options when a parent declines school evaluation.

Why it matters: Committee members and school staff said parents sometimes decline district services because of stigma or distrust, leaving children without therapy or supports in the 3–6 age range. The group said a simple flowchart that lists who to contact at ECI, school districts, pediatricians and local health resources could reduce delays in evaluation and early intervention.

Details of the plan and discussion: A committee member described a separate internal project to build a medication flowchart and a step‑by‑step diagram showing what each entity — ECI, school districts, pediatricians — does after an initial concern is raised. The group said the flowchart will list typical next steps, such as hearing and vision checks and referrals to school psychologists, and will identify contact points in local school districts.

Amy, who identified herself as supervising special education at Lorraine Independent School District, said the district has procedures in place and that removing a categorical label for very young children can reduce stigma. “Not having the stigma of a label at least in the beginning… would encourage perhaps more parents,” Amy said. Committee members said they will request contacts at district special‑education offices and work with partners to compile a master referral chart for parents and pediatricians.

Training and next steps: Several early‑childhood providers asked for training tailored to childcare facilities, including how to use developmental checklists and how to refer to ECI. The committee agreed to include the referral flowchart and training needs in its strategic plan updates and to circulate a draft “skeleton” of the parent flowchart at the next meeting.

Discussion versus action: The group formally approved the minutes for a prior meeting (see Actions). Most items discussed were direction and planning rather than formal policy changes; the committee directed staff and volunteers to continue developing the flowchart and to gather contact information from school districts and ECI.

Ending: Committee members said they will share drafts with partner agencies, include training options for childcare providers, and bring a revised flowchart to the next monthly meeting for review.