“We Saw Our Son Blossom” A Guide for Fostering Culturally Responsive Partnerships to Support African American Autistic Children and Their Families

Findings related to racial and ethnic disparities in autism research indicate that there are broad socioeconomic, cultural, and language barriers that limit African American families' navigation of services and supports. Although African American autistic children and their families face challenges in accessing services, speech-language pathologists (SLPs ) are well-positioned to support them through strengthened partnerships. The purpose of this article is to (a) introduce a conceptual model for engaging in culturally responsive partnerships with African American families, (b) discuss the roles and responsibilities of SLPs in addressing the needs of African American autistic children, and (c) provide SLPs with strategies to develop partnerships that are facilitated by cultural reciprocity, collaboration, empowerment, and self-determination.