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30 Connections, communities, and change: the echo autism revolution in Latin America

bmjpo · 2026-07-14 · canonical JSON source

1 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Objectives To present the implementation and regional impact of ECHO Autism Communities (EAC) in Latin America as a scalable model to reduce diagnostic and intervention gaps, foster professional development, and build sustainable, evidence-based systems in underserved contexts.Methods ECHO Autism leverages the Project ECHO model to create virtual, community-based learning networks that link local professionals with global experts at no cost for participants. Through regular tele-mentoring sessions, professionals engage in case-based learning and guided practice. Since 2020, over 20 teams in Latin America have been trained in the ECHO Autism model, including teams of clinicians, educators, and institutional partners. Adaptations were made to meet regional cultural, linguistic, and economic realities. Implementation data, team activity status, and reach indicators were collected through internal monitoring and network reports.Results More than 20 programs have been launched in under three years, spanning multiple Latin American countries. These EAC teams have trained hundreds of professionals and initiated local service innovations rooted in evidence-based practices. Teams have reported increased professional confidence, improved local collaboration, and earlier access to care in participating communities.Conclusions ECHO Autism has proven to be a high-impact, low-cost strategy for expanding autism expertise in underserved regions of Latin America. The model fosters professional connection, community-based capacity, and system change—even in contexts of economic and structural adversity. Future directions include obtaining sustained funding for local programs to maintain and grow this regional movement, which is already reshaping autism care across Latin America.