The Access for Autism program began in July 2021 at the University of Arkansas. A4A’s goal is to improve health outcomes associated with autism spectrum disorder in underserved populations by addressing barriers of limited access, financial constraints and other social determinants of health that negatively impact families with autistic youth.
We also recognize the importance of involving caregivers in the child’s plan of care, therefore therapy sessions contain evidence-based parenting strategies and information about common comorbid conditions associated with ASD — such as disordered sleeping, sensory processing differences and emotional dysregulation — to enhance caregivers’ understanding of their child’s needs. We also value our collaborating primary care providers and understand demands inherent in today’s healthcare systems, mainly with time constraints, long waiting periods for developmental evaluations, and limited resources depicting practice recommendations. We are committed to partnering with PCPs to enhance culturally competent care management of children with developmental delays and/or ASD.
Meeting the Team
Administration
Michele Kilmer, D.N.P., APRN, CPNP-PC
Director of the Access4Autism Program
Assistant Professor, U of A Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
As a mother of a child with ASD and a certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Dr. Kilmer understands the needs that both caregivers and primary care practitioners have. She designed the A4A program using her expertise as a PNP, researcher and mother. Consequently, the A4A program offers specific services that are not typically available for families whose children have been recently diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, Dr. Kilmer is fluent in Spanish, allowing her to directly converse with Spanish-speaking caregivers and children. She is committed to enhancing cultural competency in primary care practice and is a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory assessment, allowing her to assist PCPs to move to a culturally adaptive mindset and develop a deeper understanding of cultural norms and values.
Dr. Kilmer has conducted many studies in ASD care management initiatives. Themes of her research include investigating primary care provider perspectives of pediatric ASD care management, mental health concerns among caregivers with a child with ASD, caregiver perspectives of ASD and child development, and telehealth use in ASD care management. Her work has been published and presented at state, national and international venues. Dr. Kilmer is the owner and handler of Gryffin, a young male black Labrador who has completed therapy dog training and has begun being trained in ASD-specific techniques to use in the A4A program.
Danielle Randolph, R.N.
Program Manager for Access4Autism
Research Associate, U of A Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
I am so excited to be part of this amazing program! I started my healthcare career many years ago as an EMT/first responder with a local rural fire department. I then attended nursing school at Northwest Arkansas Community College and graduated with my Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing in 2001. I’ve worked as a school nurse for the past 17 ½ years at Prairie Grove School District in Northwest Arkansas. Previously, I worked as a RN at a cardiology clinic and the telemetry floor at Washington Regional Medical Center. I have been married to my husband Jonathan for 23 years. We have two children. Delaney is 19 and is a sophomore at the University of Arkansas majoring in Agriculture Education, Communication and Technology. Our son Gabe is 14 years old and is in eighth grade at Prairie Grove Junior High. He loves to be outside and enjoys hunting and fishing. I look forward to helping Dr. Kilmer further develop the Access4Autism program and see where this new opportunity leads me. I look forward to meeting everyone!
Minju Hong, Ph.D.
Data Coordinator for Access4Autism
Teaching Assistant Professor, Educational Statistics and Research Methods Program
Dr. Hong received a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Quantitative Methodology in 2022 and a Master of Science in Statistics in 2020 from the University of Georgia. In 2015, she completed a Master of Arts in Educational Measurement and Statistics from Korea University. Her research interest is the application of quantitative methods to studies in the fields of education and psychology.
Lauren B. Quetsch, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist for Access4Autism
Assistant Professor, U of A Department of Psychological Science
Dr. Quetsch’s specialty is in children with disruptive behavior and autism spectrum disorder. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University in Morgantown. She obtained her official licensure as a clinical psychologist in 2020.
Terria Hawley
Clinical Instructor
Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
It is an honor to be a part of such an amazing program with a unique and one-of-a-kind project. I started my nursing journey over 29 years ago. I worked in various settings including hospital medical-surgical and obstetrics units, an oncology infusion center, and a clinic for at-risk premature babies. For 16 years I worked at a dermatology clinic, where we treated “all things skin” from acne to eczema and psoriasis to hair loss. We also offered Mohs micrographic surgery, a highly specialized treatment for the most common types of skin cancer with a 98% cure rate. The practice included cosmetic treatments from Botox to laser procedures, with everything in between. In that realm of helping those feel good in what they see on the outside to shifting my focus to helping those treat what is on the inside, I began teaching mental health and illness at EMSON. After I taught my first Mental Health class, I knew it was what I was meant to do, and my passion has continued to grow. Positive mental mealth in today’s world is crucial, and it can significantly impact one’s daily living. The stigmas related to mental health are improving. The concerted effort to spread the importance of mental health and bring new awareness is allowing for a positive and exciting future. I believe the work that Dr. Kilmer is doing will only increase this awareness.
I look forward to helping Dr. Kilmer and Gryffin in the success of Access4Autism program and in the development of resources for children with autism and the benefits it will bring.
Emily Shah, M.A.
Graduate Assistant for Access4Autism
Doctoral candidate, U of A Department of Psychological Science
Emily Shah is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at the University of Arkansas. Emily’s long-term career goal is to start her own nonprofit agency to provide comprehensive and interdisciplinary services to neurodiverse youth and their families. She currently works with Dr. Kilmer as a graduate research assistant. Over the past year, Emily has assisted the A4A clinic by working with families to collect information for upcoming projects and preparing manuscripts to be submitted for publication. Specifically, Emily has assisted in writing manuscripts aimed at understanding caregiver mental health as a barrier in the timely diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In addition, Emily is currently working on a manuscript aimed at understanding caregiver perspectives of hybrid diagnostic services in order to increase the accessibility of diagnostic autism evaluations.
We also believe in training future healthcare leaders in best practice innovations for ASD care management and provide opportunities for students to participate in research studies conducted in the program. It takes a team to change ASD care management, and we are ready for the challenge.
The College of Education and Health Professions, which includes EMSON, has a long history of serving communities in Arkansas. We are excited about the college’s new WE CARE initiative seeking to address complex challenges in education and healthcare.
Our Team
Meet the members of our teams!
