For families of children with autism or intellectual and developmental disabilities, finding quality care can be overwhelming — especially as kids grow up and age out of pediatric services.
That’s why Henry Ford Health is launching The GROW Center for Autism and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, a new initiative offering integrated autism health care to support patients from childhood through adulthood.
Short for Generational Resilience, Opportunity and Wellness, GROW delivers care that is both comprehensive and compassionate. Based in metro Detroit, GROW offers a unique model that combines in-person and virtual services, staff-wide training and a deep commitment to meeting the needs of individuals with autism — and their families — at every stage of life.
What is GROW — and how does it support individuals with autism across the lifespan?
GROW is both a place and a philosophy. The initiative is housed in the Department of Family Medicine at Henry Ford Health, where care is provided for patients at every stage. This structure creates a natural environment for continuity of care.
“Family medicine is the ideal place because we provide care across the lifespan and across the continuum of care. Our philosophy of care is very oriented to looking at the person in the context of their environment and their family and community,” says Dr. Denise White Perkins, Chair of Family Medicine.
Dr. Tisa Johnson-Hooper saw the opportunity to expand beyond childhood to support lifelong needs. Now, as a pediatrician within family medicine, she brings that vision to life.
“I’m still doing pediatric care, but I’m just doing it in a different department,” she says. “Because family medicine providers do have the benefit of that continuity.”
Why families need a better way to transition autism care from childhood to adulthood
An intentional transition from pediatric to adult care is often overlooked — and is especially important for families managing autism. Teens and young adults can fall through the cracks during this critical time.
“Most people, families, patients — even providers — think healthcare transition is a one moment in time,” says Dr. Johnson-Hooper, adding that it’s not a switch that flips at age 18. “Health care transition is a process that extends over many years. In the ideal world, it begins at age 12 or 13.”
GROW is designed to fill this gap. It helps families plan ahead and encourage skill building — like making appointments, communicating medical needs and managing medications — so young people can gradually move toward adult care.
Just as important, GROW aims to meet patients and caregivers where they are. “We’re designing GROW to meet people where they are — culturally, emotionally and logistically,” says Dr. Johnson-Hooper. “That includes families who may not have had access to early intervention or who are navigating stigma in their communities.”
How GROW is rethinking autism care for children, teens and adults in metro Detroit
GROW is launching through a phased rollout, starting with autism primary care at Henry Ford Medical Center – Harbortown in Detroit and virtual lifespan pediatric diagnostic autism evaluation services.
Each part of GROW’s infrastructure is being intentionally built to address the real barriers families face — from insurance complications to sensory challenges during appointments.
“Our first task will be to identify broad-scoping barriers within our health system, and once they’re identified, develop a strategy to address each and every one,” says Dr. Johnson-Hooper.
Training is also key. “Anyone that has any interaction with a patient — physician, nurse, medical assistant, pharmacist, radiology technician, security personnel — we want to make sure they have education, knowledge and skills to interact safely and provide quality care,” she says.
“This is a population that has often been made vulnerable or marginalized,” says Dr. White Perkins. “We want to make sure we’re ready — with the right training, space and staffing — to truly meet their needs.”
A community partnership makes it stronger
To help achieve that goal, Henry Ford Health is partnering with the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM). Through its statewide Navigator program, AAoM has seen firsthand how hard it can be for families to access autism-informed health care — especially for teens and adults.
As part of the collaboration, AAoM will help train the GROW team and consult on ways to make the clinic setting more inclusive, calming, and responsive to sensory needs. The organization is also leading advocacy efforts to address funding and policy barriers that can make it harder to implement this kind of care.
And the long-term vision goes even further: together, Henry Ford Health and AAoM hope to create a playbook that can help other clinics, hospitals and community agencies across Michigan launch similar programs.
What makes GROW a first-of-its-kind model for lifelong autism support?
What sets GROW apart is its lifespan approach, its focus on transition, and its goal to create a replicable model for other health systems.
“I can’t identify health systems or systems in place across our state that have a structured, integrated approach to care across the lifespan,” says Dr. Johnson-Hooper. “Our goal is to serve as a blueprint. We’re identifying every step — the successes and the failures — so we can share what works.”
And part of that blueprint includes research. The GROW team is tracking outcomes, studying access to care and building a body of knowledge that can benefit providers across the country.
“We really want to contribute in a meaningful way to the body of literature around the care for patients with autism,” she adds.
How can families benefit from GROW right now?
Families can start now with pediatric and adult autism primary care at Harbortown and virtual pediatric autism diagnostic services — with adult diagnostic services and therapy rolling out through the end of 2026.
And while the team is building the plane as they fly it, one thing is clear: “We are committed to making this happen,” says Dr. White Perkins. “This is a community that deserves that.”
This content is sponsored by Henry Ford Health. Learn more about The GROW Center for Autism and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and The Henry Ford Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CADD).
