Cherisse Watts, MSN RN PHN is a doctoral student in the School of Nursing at University of California Los Angeles, and a graduate of Wellesley College and Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. Her research interests include investigating health disparities and improving quality of care among Black and Latinx children. Her research efforts are concentrated on advocating for medically underserved and low-income families of children with developmental disabilities and ensuring that they have access to resources needed to achieve optimal health.
Delaying diagnosis and services for African American children with autism could be a result of systemic racism. One in 31 children aged eight years old in the United States was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 2022. While screening for ASD has increased and the disparity gaps have narrowed over the years, African American
