16 Del. Admin. Code § 4109-1.0 - Purpose

1.1 Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder whose prevalence appears to be increasing in Delaware and across the United States. An Autism Surveillance and Registration, or an Autism Registry, will enable the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS), Division of Public Health (DPH) to collect basic descriptive information on the individuals with autism, to track changes in prevalence over time, to inform the planning of service delivery to children with autism and their families, and to facilitate autism research.

1.2 The purpose of the Autism Registry is to provide an accurate and continuing source of data concerning autism to provide information to Public Health officials to help to ultimately decrease the autism morbidity burden associated with the disorder. The Autism Registry will gather data to assist with: prevalence estimation, cluster investigation, risk factor identification, and outcome assessment.

1.3 The usefulness of the data collected in the Autism Registry will depend upon the full and accurate reporting of the confirmed diagnosis of autism by health care practitioners, hospitals, and clinical laboratories.

1.4 The Autism Registry will be a separate component of the Newborn Screening Management System.

Notes

16 Del. Admin. Code § 4109-1.0