Two Virginia Tech projects supported by the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center are increasing access to autism assessments and helping educators better support autistic students across the region.
Through the Hybrid Autism Assessments in Rural Communities project, Virginia Tech clinicians have provided free, comprehensive autism assessments to 83 children and teens using a combination of in-person and telehealth services. Assessments were conducted at the SWVA Higher Ed Center in Abingdon, Dickenson Behavioral Health in Clintwood and the Virginia Tech Autism Clinic in Blacksburg.
Following the evaluations, caregivers received recommendations and education to help them understand next steps, pursue additional services and advocate for their children’s needs.
Additional funding will allow the work to continue through a mobile unit and community partnerships. The next phase will also explore the mental health needs of autistic youth and their families in Southwest Virginia.
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A second project, ECHO Autism4Ed, increases the capacity of general education teachers serving prekindergarten through grade 12 to support autistic students. The free virtual program, offered by Virginia Tech in partnership with the University of Virginia, has trained 77 Southwest Virginia educators since fall 2024. The project plans to reach an additional 168 teachers during the next four years while evaluating its impact on teacher and student outcomes.
“Many families in Southwest Virginia do not have access to specialty health care providers, and autism specialists can be particularly difficult to reach,” said Dr. Angela Scarpa, director of the Virginia Tech Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research. “These projects help families access diagnostic evaluations and receive guidance, while also giving teachers practical strategies they can use every day. The Higher Ed Center’s space and technology support help us bring these resources closer to the region.”
“This is exactly the kind of regional connection the Higher Ed Center was created to provide,” said David Matlock, executive director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. “By making our space and technology available, we can help university expertise reach more Southwest Virginia families, educators and young people.”
Registration is upcoming for the next ECHO Autism4Ed cohort. Sessions will be held virtually from 4 to 5:15 p.m. every other Thursday, from February through May 2027.
The cohort is open to eligible general education teachers who work with autistic students in public schools in Dickenson, Grayson, Russell, Smyth, Washington or Wise County, or the City of Norton.
