Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Easterseals Community Network (ECN), in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana (Anthem) and RepuCare, is launching Indiana Autism Connections, an innovative care coordination program designed to support children and adolescents on the autism spectrum and their families.
The program will initially serve 150 families with Anthem Medicaid coverage in Allen and Kosciusko counties, with plans to expand into additional communities in the future, according to a provided news release.
Indiana Autism Connections provides personalized, relationship-based care coordination that brings together healthcare providers, schools, therapists and community resources into one unified plan – ensuring young people and families receive the right support at the right time.
This approach reflects a fundamental shift in how care is delivered, the release states.
“Indiana Autism Connections represents what is possible when we stop asking families to navigate fragmented systems on their own and instead bring those systems together around them,” said Donna Elbrecht, CEO of Easterseals. “We’ve done this before, and the results were clear – children were healthier, families were stronger, and costly crisis care was avoided.”
This initiative builds on a model Easterseals implemented in 2015 in partnership with Anthem Indiana Medicaid, where results demonstrated that care coordination leads to better health outcomes and more responsible use of healthcare resources.
In that earlier program, Easterseals outperformed a blind control group, achieving:
• A shift from crisis care to appropriate primary care.
• Fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
• Reduced pharmacy costs.
• Improved overall health outcomes and quality of life.
Additionally, 90% of families entered the program without services in place and were successfully connected to critical supports including education, healthcare, housing and community resources, according to the release.
“For children on the autism spectrum and their families, care too often feels disconnected and overwhelming,” said Kimberly Mayrose, M.D., Medicaid medical director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana. “Indiana Autism Connections brings a more coordinated, whole-person approach, helping ensure families have access to the care and services they need in a way that improves health and well-being, and supports long-term success.”
“When care is coordinated, outcomes improve – not just for the child, but for the entire family and the systems that support them,” Elbrecht added. “It’s a smarter, more effective way to ensure we are doing what’s best families while being good stewards of Medicaid and community resources.”
The Indiana Autism Connections approach focuses on individualized, person-centered support and proactive planning. In previous implementation, Easterseals achieved:
• Zero emergency room visits through effective crisis planning.
• 100% school participation among children and adolescents served.
• 94% medication adherence, including reductions in over-medication.
• 80% of family-centered goals achieved.
• 100% of children up to date on immunizations.
• 81% of families experiencing positive community engagement.
At the heart of Indiana Autism Connections is a commitment to meeting Anthem members and their families where they are – building trust, removing barriers, and walking alongside them every step of the way.
