Autism
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NDD), specifically Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), significantly impact individuals, families, and society, introducing distinctive mental health challenges. The shortage of adequately trained providers and the restricted availability of community-based services for early detection and evidence-based interventions further compound this global issue. This is particularly true in the South Asia region, home to a substantial portion of the world's children with ASD. The escalating prevalence in this region exacerbates the problem, with the majority of children and their families lacking access to essential services.
The NAMASTE Initiative
NAMASTE (Neurodevelopment and AutisM in South ASia Treatment and Evidence), an initiative of Sangath, aims to design, implement, and evaluate an effective detection and care pathway specifically for children with NDDs, focusing on autism.
EMPOWER collaboratively functions with the team of Sangath to bring this project to life. The project's reach extends across India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, addressing the unique needs of these diverse communities.
Learn more about the NAMASTE initiative at Sangath here.
NAMASTE's Intervention
Rooted in over a decade of collaborative work, NAMASTE’s team has carefully adapted, expanded and tested an evidence-based intervention for children with social communication difficulties in the South Asian context. This intervention is called the Parent-mediated Autism Social Communication Intervention for non-Specialists Plus (PASS Plus). EMPOWER is collaborating with NAMASTE's team to digitize this curriculum to increase its reach and impact. This digital curriculum will equip community workers in assisting parents of children with Autism in navigating social communication.
This transformative initiative, scheduled from 2022 to 2027, is an international collaborative effort that includes the University of Manchester, King’s College London (KCL), Sangath, AutismCare Nepal Society, Harvard Medical School, Autism Speaks, among others.