Assessing Clinical Global Impressions Severity Scores in Adults with Autism Across Counties: A Coordinated Care Study from Preadmission to Post-Discharge

Abstract

This practicum, conducted at HANDS in Autism® in collaboration with the Indiana NeuroDiagnostic Institute (NDI), aimed to examine changes in behavioral severity among adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) Severity Scale. Data were collected from REDCap across multiple stages of care, including preadmission, 7-day, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, and 12-month post-discharge intervals. Severity scores were categorized by county and visualized using Excel, Python, and Tableau to assess behavioral change trends. Results showed a clear reduction in severity from preadmission (primarily scores of 6–7) to post-discharge (with most scores at 5 or below), suggesting improved outcomes following inpatient intervention. This analysis supports the value of longitudinal tracking using standardized tools like CGI to inform treatment planning and promote recovery monitoring in adults with ASD.