Clinician's commentary to accompany barriers to referral and evaluation and corresponding navigation services for toddlers screening positive for autism spectrum disorder.

Comments on the original article by Hightshoe, et al., (see record 2024-10422-003) regarding barriers to referral and evaluation and corresponding navigation services for toddlers screening positive for autism spectrum disorder. This article described how a largely Latinx sample experienced unique barriers and how the (autism family navigators) AFNs were able to respond directly to the needs of families by remaining flexible. It appears that AFNs were engaging in cultural humility by considering each family's culture and social factors, like when they advocated for adequate interpretation services for collaborative planning meetings. The current author would be interested to know more about the cultural training and skills used to facilitate engagement and build rapport. The case studies illustrate the necessity of having good working relationships in which families can indicate potential barriers, such as not being able to confirm an appointment with a facility or potential bias due to lack of insurance or immigration status, that need to be discussed to create an effective plan of intervention. These disclosures reveal areas of vulnerability that were only able to be discussed through the creation of safe space. Therefore, it would be essential to know how these working relationships were built and the geopolitical protections or risks (e.g., immigration healthcare policies that may impact mixed-status families) that could contribute to AFN and patient engagements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).