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The challenge in most communities is to build a true system of care that involves proactive and more preventive care in natural settings, such as schools, and coordination and improvement of care for youth with more serious problems.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect approximately 1 in 150 children across the U.S., and are characterized by abnormal social actions, language difficulties, repetitive or restrictive behaviors, and special interests. ASD include autism (autistic disorder), Asperger syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS or atypical autism). High-functioning individuals may communicate with moderate-to-high language skills, although difficulties in social skills may result in communication deficits. Low-functioning individuals may have severe deficiencies in language, resulting in poor communication between the individual and others. Behavioral intervention programs have been developed for ASD, and are frequently adjusted to accommodate specific individual needs. Many of these programs are school-based and aim to support the child in the development of their skills, for use outside the classroom with family and friends. Strides are being made in understanding the factors contributing to the development of ASD, particularly the genetic contributions that may underlie these disorders. Mutant mouse models provide powerful research tools to investigate the genetic factors associated with ASD and its co-morbid disorders. In support, the BTBR T+tf/J mouse strain incorporates ASD-like social and communication deficits and high levels of repetitive behaviors. This commentary briefly reviews the reciprocal relationship between observations made during evidence-based behavioral interventions of high- versus low-functioning children with ASD and the accumulating body of research in autism, including animal studies and basic research models. This reciprocity is one of the hallmarks of the scientific method, such that research may inform behavioral treatments, and observations made during treatment may inform subsequent research.

School professionals who work with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) play a significant role in the academic experiences of these students, but some evidence suggests that teachers of students with ASD experience a high risk of burnout. Research has begun to examine factors that ameliorate or prevent teacher burnout, including teacher training and teacher self-efficacy, or teachers' beliefs regarding their abilities to bring about positive outcomes for their students. The present study examined variables associated with the self-efficacy of school professionals for working with students with ASD, including knowledge about ASD, prior experience working with students with ASD, and prior training in ASD and evidence-based practices. A second goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of training on ASD and evidence-based practices on school professionals' knowledge and self-efficacy related to working with students with ASD. In particular, the participants received training on the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce model. Results of the present study suggested the importance of training to school professionals' self-efficacy, highlighting the need for continued efforts to provide quality training to individuals who work with students with ASD.

Expanded school mental health (ESMH) programs provide a range of mental health services to youth in special and regular education including prevention, assessment, treatment, and case management. Despite the rapid growth of ESMH programs in the United States and elsewhere, many communities still do not have ESMH programs and those that do exist often fail to implement empirically validated intervention and treatment strategies. Systematic prevention efforts remain a lauded, yet illusive goal. For ESMH programs to fulfill their promise of improved access, increased productivity and improved behavioral outcomes, researchers, school-based mental health service providers, and educators must work together to move child mental health programs beyond limiting constructs and approaches. These issues are reviewed and an example of an "ideal" approach to implement best practices in schools and close the gap between research and practice is offered.

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The authors describe a behavioral intervention designed to reduce sleep problems without increasing disruption at bedtime or throughout the evening. Sleep restriction was used to reduce the bedtime and nighttime sleep problems of two children, a 4-year-old girl with autism and a 4-year-old girl with developmental delay. Sleep restriction involved reducing the number of hours each child slept while maintaining a consistent bedtime and awake time. Once the program was successful, the amount of sleep was faded back to an age-appropriate level. The sleep-restriction programs appeared to result in the elimination of bedtime disturbances and the reduction of nighttime awakenings. The authors discuss the effectiveness of this behavioral intervention for the treatment of sleep disturbances in children with developmental disabilities.

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