This article originally appeared in START Connecting in February 2019. 

The Michigan ASD State Plan 2018 Progress Review and Recommendations is available. You could easily decide that this is a state level document with a lot of information that is not particularly relevant to the average professional, provider, family member, or community member. However if you think there is more to be done to improve the lives of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families, and you are motivated to working collaboratively, this document might be more relevant than you think. 

The ASD State Plan 2018 Progress Review and Recommendations is not just for state agencies, the Autism Council, or a small workgroup. It is written for everyone who interacts with individuals with ASD. No one person, agency, organization, or constituent group can be responsible for change. Everyone has the responsibility to reach out, strengthen networks, and engage others in a focused effort. This will create the capacity to build and support a statewide infrastructure, and promote collaboration and coordination across stakeholders.

You will find a short summary of the ASD State Plan below, but if you want to participate in the progress over the next five years, read the entire plan and heed the call to action. You will enjoy the celebration of the 2023 Michigan ASD State Plan even more. 

Some Quick Background Information

The Michigan Autism Council was formed through Executive Order by the Governor, with the primary role to support implementation of the Michigan ASD State Plan and advise the governor’s office. In 2018, the Autism Council was charged with making a comprehensive progress review of statewide trends, needs, and progress, and updating the Michigan ASD State Plan with recommendations for the next five years. This resulted in new priority recommendations to guide policy, practice, and decision-making, and provide a strategic direction for improved outcomes for individuals with ASD across the lifespan. 

Progress Since 2012 

Another reason to read the document is the 2018 Michigan ASD State Plan features four pages of progress since 2012. For a snapshot of the progress across focus areas, check out the 2018 Progress Review Infographic. 

The Core of the Michigan ASD State Plan 

The core of the plan is five interrelated Focus Areas with Recommendations based on priorities identified through 2,000+ stakeholder surveys and an Autism Council review process. The focus areas include:

• Family Engagement and Involvement
• Early Identification and Early Intervention Services
• Educational Supports and Services
• Adult Services and Supports
• Physical, Mental, and Behavioral Health

Each Focus Area lists recommendations in these four areas:

• Coordination and Collaboration of Systems, Services, and Resources
• Development and Dissemination of Information and Resources
• Training and Education
• Service Provision and Access

Following the Focus Area recommendations are the Infrastructure recommendations, written to have a broad impact on the state, including coordination across state agencies; consistent communication about availability, access, and delivery of services; building expertise in every region of the state; addressing pre-service professional preparation; and collecting data to improve service delivery.  

A Call to Action

“It is imperative that individuals from a broad range of stakeholder groups, including families, providers, educators, university faculty, business leaders, and legislators, read this document and immediately consider how to proactively respond to the recommendations to impact individuals with ASD across the lifespan. Specifically, this document is a Call to Action. You, as the reader, can identify focus area recommendations, which are aligned to your agency, organization, or constituent group, and consider how the recommendations are relevant to your interactions with individuals with ASD and their families.” (Michigan ASD State Plan 2018, p. 3).

Your Next Steps

• Read the Michigan ASD State Plan 2018 Progress Review and Recommendations
• Share it with your colleagues, administrators, families, professional organizations, and any other relevant constituent group
• Identify Focus Area recommendation(s) that can be supported by your work and recruit partners to collaborate on goals
• Develop an implementation plan to address one or more recommendations

State Plan Overall Goal 

Build the state infrastructure for comprehensive supports that benefit individuals with ASD and their families by improving access to information and resources and increasing system coordination at the local and state level.

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