North Dakota autism task force seeks public input on support services and programs

(Fargo, ND) -- A state task force is asking North Dakotans to give their input on services offered to people with autism spectrum disorder. 

"The last time we put it out was in 2019. So we thought it was a good time to put it out again after Covid, and things have settled down a little bit with that, we thought we would find out where the new gaps are," said task force chair Kathy Barchenger, who is also the state autism coordinator for North Dakota Health and Human Services. 

Barchenger says the online survey will be used to determine whether people in the state are aware of the availability of state programs and services for people with autism spectrum disorder.  They also want to determine if individual's needs are being met, or if there are issues with accessibility or gaps in services. The survey is being run until December 30th. 

“State services tend to focus on young children and their families because of the benefits of early identification and intervention. We also want to understand the needs throughout the life span of individuals diagnosed with ASD,” said Barchenger.  

SURVEY LINK: https://ndhealth.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4nPFantZI1VcuG