Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded University of California, Davis a $123,498 Project Grant under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) for the period of June 5, 2026 through May 31, 2028. This research project addresses critical gaps in autism intervention quality and acceptability by investigating the intersection of evidence-based behavioral approaches and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks. The grant supports scientific investigation into the safety, validity, and ethics of current early intervention (EI) practices for autism, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), while examining caregiver decision-making and community-based implementation gaps.

The funded research aims to generate evidence-based data and insights that will inform the development of interventions that align with autistic priorities and promote optimal quality of life, rather than solely focusing on symptom amelioration or diagnostic loss. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge intervention research and community-based service delivery, this project will produce research findings and recommendations that advance understanding of how evidence-based autism services can be adapted to incorporate neurodiversity-affirming principles, ultimately improving service quality and acceptability for autistic individuals and their families.