Toward the Implementation of Evidence-Based Interventions for Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders in Schools and Community Agencies

• Examines the applicability of contemporary implementation models for the field of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
• Reviews exemplars of implementation research on evidence-based interventions for children with ASD.
• Proposes a service delivery model for integrating evidence-based interventions for ASD that might enhance implementation.

Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are rarely found in community settings where most youth with ASD receive services. Implementation research designed to help bridge this gap is needed. However, efforts to implement EBIs in community settings face a number of barriers. The main purpose of this article is to illustrate how making EBIs more flexible and integrative may help improve their utility and may increase their uptake by stakeholders in community mental health and school settings. We conclude with an example of a modular, stepped-care program that might help bridge the science-practice gap in the ASD field by combining elements of a number of existing EBIs into a single, flexible intervention.