International Collaboration for Diagnostic Evaluation of Autism (IDEA)
The International Collaboration for Diagnostic Evaluation of Autism (IDEA) group was established in March 2020 by Dr. Stephen Kanne, Ph.D., at Weill Cornell University. Dr. Kanne initially organized a monthly webinar and invited autism clinicians to share their knowledge and expertise in response to COVID-19. Since then, the webinar series has continued and topics have expanded to focus on practical ideas and tools for providers to use in their autism diagnostic clinics. In June 2025, Dr. Kanne and IDEA transitioned to the University of Missouri Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment.
Interested in joining the group? Sign up now!
Questions? Email: trainings@missouri.edu
Presenter: Amie Duncan, Ph.D.
Topic: Surviving and Thriving in the Real World: A Daily Living Skills Intervention for Autistic Adolescents
Presenter: Amy Keefer, Ph.D., ABPP
Topic: DINOSAUR: A Parent-Child Intervention Targeting Anxiety in Young Autistic Children
Presenters: Lily Wagner, Ph.D., BCBA & Laura Corona, Ph.D.
Topic: Autism Tele-Assessment for Preschool-Aged Children: Development and Use of TAP-P
Presenter: Rosmary Ros-DeMarize, Ph.D.
Topic: Telehealth Delivery of PCIT: State of the Evidence and Clinical Considerations
Presenter: Amy M. Wetherby, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Topic: It’s All in the Hands: Changing Developmental Trajectories of Toddlers with ASD using the Early Social Interaction Model
Presenter: Micah Mazurek, Ph.D.
Topic: Improving Access to Care through Integration of Family Navigation into ECHO Autism
Presenter: Melissa Armstrong-Brine, Ph.D.
Topic: Optimizing Use of the Testing CPT Codes
Presenter: Paul Wang, M.D.
Topic: Designing Clinical Trials for Autism: Lessons Learned with Arbaclofen
Presenter: Melissa Maye, Ph.D.
Topic: Increasing Access, Accuracy, and Equity of Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening and Access to Prompt Early Intervention via a Multi-Component Implementation Strategy
Presenters: Andrea Chu, M.P.H. & Emily Feinberg, Sc.D., CPNP
Topic: Family Navigation: Autism and Beyond
Presenter: Diana Robins, Ph.D.
Topic: Early Detection of Autism Using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)
Presenter: Brooke Ingerstoll, Ph.D.
Topic: Project ImPACT: How, for whom, and under what conditions does it work?
Presenters: Rachel Loftin, Ph.D. & Glen Veed, Ph.D.
Topic: Remote Psychotherapy for Autistic Adults
Presenter: Somer Bishop, Ph.D.
Topic: Developmental Assessment of Social Communication Abilities (DASCA)
Presenter: Antonio Hardan, Ph.D.
Topic: Novel Questionnaires to Assess Core Autism Features: Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS) and Dimensional Assessment of Restricted/Repetitive Behaviors (DARB)
Presenter: Lauren Donnelly, Ph.D.
Topic: Adapting Care for Autistic Youth in Generalized Psychiatric Settings
Presenter: Paige Cervantes, Ph.D.
Topic: Addressing Suicide Risk in Autism
Presenter: Kerri Nowell, Ph.D.
Topic: Special Interests Survey (SIS): What We’ve Learned So Far
Presenter: Mirko Ujarevic, M.D., Ph.D.
Topic: Develop a New Quantitative Measure of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors (RRD) in order to further understanding of distinct RRB Subdomains
Presenter: Jonathan Safer-Lichtenstein, Ph.D.
Topic: Identification of Autism in the School vs. Medical Setting
Presenter: Maryellen Brunson McClain, Ph.D., Katherine R. Mezher, Ph.D., and Lauren M. Gardner, Ph.D.
Topic: Autism Evaluations: Collaboration with School Psychologists and School Teams
Presenter: Elisabeth Sheridan, Ph.D. & Giacomo Vivanti, Ph.D.
Topic: The Reach and Accuracy of Information on TikTok
Presenter: Ariana Garagozzo, Psy.D.
Topic: Self-Diagnosis Case Presentations
Presenter: Rose M. O’Donnell, Ph.D.
Topic: Strategies for Productive Feedback with Families and Patients
Presenter: Audrey Thurm, Ph.D. & Cheryl Klaiman, Ph.D.
Topic: The Importance of Cognition in Autism Diagnostic Evaluation
Presenter: Stephen Gentles, Ph.D.
Topic: Trajectories of Autistic Children: Mapping the Research
Presenter: Nicole McDonald, Ph.D.
Topic: Developmental Trajectories of Infants with Multiplex Family History of Autism
Presenter: Stephen Kanne, Ph.D.
Topic: Study on EBPs and MCHAT-R/F
Presenter: Rebecca McNally Keehn, Ph.D.
Topic: Early Autism Evaluation Hub System: A Statewide Measure of Early Autism Diagnosis
Presenter: Zachary Warren, Ph.D.
Topic: Improving Systems of Care for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Novel Early Action Models
Presenter: Amy Esler, Ph.D.
Topic: 2020 Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network Surveillance Summaries
Presenter: Ashley de Marchena, Ph.D.
Topic: Challenging Assumptions: Expert Initial Impressions
Presenter: Melanie Penner, M.D.
Topic: Increasing Capacity for Autism Diagnosis: The Role of Community Pediatricians
Presenter: Alison Singer
Topic: How to Talk About Autism
Presenter: Connor Keating, Ph.D.
Topic: How to Talk About Autism: Guidance from the Community
Presenter: Amy Esler, Ph.D.
Topic: Fragile X and Autism: Highly Overlapping or Completely Separate Conditions?
Presenter: Liz Will, Ph.D.
Topic: Co-Occurring Autism in Down Syndrome
Presenter: Sarah Levinson, Ph.D.
Topic: Treating Eating Disorders Among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Presenter: Alana Telesford, Ph.D.
Topic: Addressing Feeding Difficulties in Children with ASD
Presenters: Katherine Loveland, Ph.D., Amy Izuno-Garcia, Ph.D., and Rainey Hughes, Ph.D.
Topic: First Time Diagnosis of Autism in Adulthood
Presenter: Vanessa Bal, Ph.D.
Topic: Factors Shaping Adult Autism Assessment and Diagnosis
Presenter: Roula Choueiri, M.D.
Topic: The Rapid Interactive Screening for Autism In Toddlers (RITA-T): Autism Screening Test and Models
Presenter: Ami Klin, Ph.D.
Topic: EarliPoint
Presenters: Sharief Taraman, M.D. & Jennifer Shannon, M.D
Topic: Cognoa Canvas Dx
Presenter: Ron Oberleitner
Topic: NODA
Presenter: Henry Roane, Ph.D.
Topic: Developing an Outpatient Treatment Program for Challenging Behavior
Presenter: Matthew Siegel, M.D.
Topic: Multidisciplinary Inpatient Approach to Challenging Behaviors in Youth with Autism and Developmental Disorders
Presenter: Mark Mahoney, J.D.
Topic: The Chasm Between Autism and the Criminal Law
Presenter: Lynda Geller
Topic: The Impact of Autism on Psychosexual Development, Understanding On-Line Offenses
Presenter: Michael Morrier, Ph.D.
Topic: Preparing Hospitals for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: Medical Alert Passport
Presenter: Alexis Pavlov, Ph.D.
Topic: Mitigating Challenging Behaviors in Medical Settings for Patients Diagnosed with Autism
Presenter: Sarah Dufek, Ph.D.
Topic: Preparing Hospitals for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: Medical Alert Passport
Presenter: Alexis Pavlov, Ph.D.
Topic: Mitigating Challenging Behaviors in Medical Settings for Patients Diagnosed with Autism
Presenter: Amy Izuno-Garcia, M.Ed.
Topic: Preliminary Findings: Characteristics of Waitlists for Pediatric Autism Evaluations
Presenter: Tess Levy
Topic: Assessing the Utility of Electronic Measures as a Proxy for Cognitive Ability
Presenter: Bridgette Kelleher, Ph.D.
Topic: Family-Centered Approaches to Remove Neurodevelopmental Assessment
Presenters: Stephanie Weber, Psy.D., MPH, Lisa Wiggins, Ph.D., and Jennifer Zubler, M.D., FAAP
Topic: Parent-Engaged Developmental Monitoring Using CDC’s Developmental Milestone Checklists
Presenter: Catherine Lord, Ph.D.
Topic: An International Perspective on the Future of Care and Clinical Research in Autism: The Lance Commission’s December 2021 Report
Presenter: Alison Singer
Topic: Profound Autism
Presenter: Amy Esler, Ph.D.
Topic: Autism Prevalence Data: 2021 Findings and How to Use
Presenter: Alison Singer
Topic: Profound Autism
Presenter: Luther Kalb, Ph.D., MHS
Topic: Developing a Clinical Research Registry in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Presenter: Nicole Takahashi, M.S.
Topic: Research Clinical Partnership
Presenter: Deanna Swain, Ph.D.
Topic: CADB REDCap Implementation: Integrating Research and Clinic
Presenter: John Strang, Psy.D.
Topic: The Intersection of Autism and Transgender/Gender Diverse Identities: Diagnostics, Needs, and Clinical Complexities
Presenter: Stephen Kanne, Ph.D.
Topic: Remote Working
Presenters: Laura Carpenter, Ph.D. & Catherine Bradley, Ph.D.
Topic: Medical University of South Carolina Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Presenters: Jennifer Paz Ryan, Psy.D., & Kate Colon, Psy.D.
Topic: Elevated Insights
Presenter: Angela Fish, Ph.D.
Topic: ASD Screening Process
Presenter: Jennifer Gerdts, Ph.D.
Topic: Tackling the Waitlist: Age-Based Diagnostic Tracks in Interdisciplinary Team Evaluation for ASD
Presenters: Nancy Sullivan, Ph.D, Janice Keener, Ph.D., Serene Habayeb, Ph.D., Debra Reicher, Ph.D., and Maritza Cobian, Psy.D.
Topic: Integrating Autism Diagnostic Services with Medical Services
Presenter: Mary Ciccarelli, M.D.
Topic: Center for Youth and Adults with Conditions of Childhood