Testing for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Autism Acceptance Month 2026

Doctor talking to a child and the child's parent in an office.

Autism Acceptance Month: Testing for ASD & other disorders

Effective treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) begins with effective testing. However, when managing a patient with potential behavioral health needs, knowing where to send them for testing isn’t always straightforward.

Jessica Riggs, Ph.D, emphasized this during a recent MC3 live training, Beyond Testing Referrals: Strategies to Support Families in Getting Connected to the Best Testing Resource:

"Providers commonly refer patients to neuropsych testing for ASD, ADHD, and differential diagnosis. This type of testing is sometimes required by insurance plans or can help in cases with potential comorbidities, but it may not be necessary or may not be the quickest path to getting a diagnosis. So why are these referrals so common if other types of testing might be more effective? When it comes to testing for autism, it can be pretty complicated."

Jessica Riggs, Ph.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor,

Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine

Watch the full recording below to learn more about the key differences between neuropsychological testing, psychoeducational testing, and diagnostic/clinical evaluations and when it is appropriate to use each for your patients.

Watch webinar

For specific guidance on patient testing and evaluation, request a free consultation with MC3 psychiatrists below.

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Guidance for Youth Testing and Evaluation

In addition to the training above, MC3’s Guidance for Youth Testing and Evaluation guide was created to help providers make appropriate behavioral health referrals for child and adolescent patients. The guide includes:

Detailed explanations of different types of psychiatric, developmental, and neurological testing
Decision tree for determining the recommended next steps in testing

View resource

Pediatric Resource Library

Browse MC3’s Pediatric Resource Library section on ASD & Neurodevelopmental Disorders for helpful resources, including:

Family handouts
Screening tools
Treatment guidelines
Recommended websites

ASD & Neurodevelopmental Disorders section of the MC3 Pediatric Resource Library.

View resources

Recorded education modules on ASD

Title slide for MC3 recorded module Autism Evaluation in the State of Michigan: Getting the Right Kids to the Right Place at the Right Time.

Autism Evaluation in the State of Michigan: Getting the Right Kids to the Right Place at the Right Time (35 minutes)

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Title slide for MC3 recorded module Autism and Common Comorbid Psychiatric Conditions.

Autism and Common Comorbid Conditions (19 minutes)

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Advocating for Parents, Advocating for Children: Supporting Families in Navigating Autism Diagnosis and Treatment (21 minutes)

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Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Practical Tools for Primary Care Providers (23 minutes)

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View all recorded education modules

TEAM Autism Toolkit

Experts at Teaching and Education for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Management (TEAM) have assembled an online toolkit to train providers to better support their autistic and developmentally disabled patients throughout all stages of life. View TEAM's toolkit of videos and resources below.

View toolkit

MC3 is part of the Michigan Medicine Department of Psychiatry and is funded by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) via general funds, Medicaid Administration funds, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funds.