In 2023, Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby declared April as Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in conjunction with the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma. The Chickasaw Nation has invested in an infrastructure o f outreach to direct people to various programs and services that enhance the quality of life of First Americans with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
“The Chickasaw Nation is honored to take part in the annual observance of Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month and World Autism Day to address the diverse needs of individuals and families affected by autism,” Governor Anoatubby said during The proclamation announcing the Chickasaw Nation’s participation in 2023.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Early intervention services greatly improve the development of a child with ASD.
“Autism is a condition or a set of traits in which an individual’s brain basically functions differently than most,” Dr. BJ Boyd, senior psychologist for the Chickasaw Nation, said. “Typically, during the time frames of prenatal through early childhood development, the traits a person might exhibit are often determined.”
Key programs at the Chickasaw Nation for those with ASD include the Chickasaw Nation Pediatric Collaborative, medical family therapy, Hofanti Chokma (to grow well), the HealthySteps program and Chokma Pilachi (to send along in a good way).
“One of the biggest challenges that families talk about is figuring out what their child with ASD needs and how to get that for them,” Chickasaw Nation Senior Public Health Psychologist Dr. Misty Boyd said. “There can be a lot of steps in that process so that we can get the right services for them. Our programs work together to try to make all of those steps smoother for families.”
The resources provide services for Chickasaws and other First Americans on the autism spectrum and for their families.
“The Chickasaw Nation seems to be at the forefront of ensuring that children with ASD can receive services, especially when you compare it to other rural areas,” Dr. Misty Boyd said. “That said, it can still be difficult to find the services that children with ASD need in their communities.”
The Chickasaw Nation Pediatric Collaborative (CNPC) provides mental health care access, education and treatment for children and teens. The CNPC connects parents and health care providers with experts in ASD, mental health and developmental pediatrics. Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) is an essential part of the Chickasaw Nation’s integrated health care team, available at all CNDH locations. As mental health experts, MedFT professionals work alongside medical providers to address the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of health. By embedding mental health services into medical settings, MedFT ensures that individuals and families receive timely, team-based care that supports both their mental and physical wellbeing.
Medical family therapists collaborate closely with parents and healthcare providers to ensure families receive support. “Autism affects the whole family, not just the child,” said Chickasaw Nation Executive Offier of Integrated Services Cassie Sawatzky. “Through our integrated programs, we provide mental health support, connect families with essential services and ensure that parents know they don’t have to navigate this journey alone.”
Hofanti Chokma workshops offer easy, fun and evidence-based strategies for guiding behaviors of children and teens. These methods contribute to more positive parent/ child relationships in the present and help children learn, grow and manage their own behaviors for future success. Workshops are available online at no charge.
The Chickasaw Nation Medical Center and satellite clinics also offer the HealthySteps program. HealthySteps is designed to provide comprehensive support for parents and caregivers that promote healthy child development from birth to 3 years old. Most cases of ASD are diagnosed by age 5, but many children can be identified before the age of 2. HealthySteps tracks and records milestones within this age group, including identifying early signs of ASD.
“Early intervention is all these services together: intervention, occupational therapy, speech pathology and education,” Chickasaw Nation Lead Speech Language Pathologist Pamela Beard said in a 2024 Chickasaw Times article. “Early intervention can change the whole trajectory of a child with autism and their development.”
The Chickasaw Nation Chokma Pilachi program provides both adults and children with comprehensive assessments of ASD and developmental delays, among other services. Behavioral health and psychiatric service provider s within the Chickasaw Nation understand that detecting ASD is important for the overall wellness of a patient.
“When someone has ASD, you will often see symptoms across their lifetime,” Dr. Misty Boyd said. “Those symptoms might look different at different ages, so even though ASD does not go away, it also does not look the same for a person’s whole life.”
“Something that treatment professionals focus on is how those symptoms affect a person’s daily life and what kinds of supports they might need in order to meet the goals they have for themselves,” Dr. Misty Boyd said.
For more information, visit ChickasawNationHealth.net.