Prerequisites: The following steps are intended for professionals interested in becoming certified in the ESDM and who:

• Work regularly with 12-48 month aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD);
• Have educational degrees beyond a bachelor’s or the academic equivalent from your country of origin (e.g., MA, Ph.D., MFT, SLP, OT);
• Work as part of an interdisciplinary team (e.g., general/special education teacher, developmental/clinical psychologist, SLP, OT, behavior analyst) **
• Have read the ESDM Manual and can bring their own copy to the workshops;
• Have completed each training step (defined below) before advancing to the next; and
• Have the resources to submit training materials (after the workshop is complete) to our center for fidelity review and certification.

** Priority for acceptance is given to team applications

Read our training manual entitled, The Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism: Promoting Language, Learning, and Engagement. The manual describes a developmental, naturalistic, and relationship-based approach for fostering children’s initiative and engagement and scaffolding their communication and interaction. Also included is the fidelity system for determining correct usage of the interactive procedures and a non-reproducible reference of the Curriculum Checklist for evaluation of children’s skill levels and development of teaching objectives. The manual and Curriculum Checklist (sold separately) can be purchased online.

After reading the manual, there are two courses available for training in the ESDM. The Introductory Course addresses the main aspects of the ESDM but is not intended to train professionals to fidelity. The Advanced Course includes interactive sessions with children with ASD in order to equip professionals with the information, skills, and resources necessary to correctly implement the ESDM within their organization. Professionals will be required to submit follow-up training materials to demonstrate their continued competency in the ESDM following the Advanced Training Course (details listed below).  Enrollment in the Introductory and Advanced Courses may be done concurrently.   Early Start Denver Model Workshops

Introductory Course: Learn about the background, principles, assessment, data, and intervention procedures of the ESDM.

Topics include how to:

• Administer and complete a developmental assessment of children's skill levels;
• Develop individualized, developmentally appropriate teaching objectives;
• Implement the ESDM teaching practices and fidelity system to evaluate technique use; and
• Maintain data systems and address poor or limited child progress, when needed.

Advanced Course:  Graduates of the Introductory Course will learn how to carry out ongoing therapy using the ESDM. Teams of 3-5 professionals will be grouped together to receive direct practice with children with ASD and supervision with implementing an ESDM intervention program. Coaching and feedback will be provided on how to generate and embed a developmentally appropriate teaching curriculum into naturalistic routines for young children with ASD.

Topics include how to:

• Use the curriculum for evaluating a child’s skill level across developmental domains;
• Build quarterly objectives and data systems and address poor or limited child progress when needed;
• Teach developmental objectives embedded inside naturalistic play routines; and
• Self-evaluate technique use of intervention strategies.

One month after completion of the Advanced Course, please submit the following materials to ensure correct usage of the ESDM. Please contact the ESDM Training Coordinator** with questions well prior to the submission deadline. Materials sent after the submission deadline will not be accepted:

Initial Submission:

                Step One:

• Trainee will send a completed ESDM Curriculum and written objectives with a minimum of two objectives per developmental domain for one child.

Trainer will review and provide feedback and help as needed to reach criterion. Once approved by the Trainer, proceed with next step.

                Step Two:

• Trainee will submit developed teaching steps into the data system from approved objectives for one child.

Trainer will review and provide feedback and help as needed to reach criterion. Once approved by the Trainer, proceed with next step.

                Step Three:

• Trainee will send two 15-minute clips of unedited video implementing the ESDM with one child along with self-rated fidelity and child data per video.

Trainer will score therapy clips and provide feedback on performance. 

* Each step of the initial submission will be evaluated according to the: (1) developmental appropriateness of Curriculum scoring, selected objectives, and progression of teaching steps, and (2) accuracy of fidelity and data scoring from videotaped samples. Written and/or verbal feedback of recommendations in each area will be provided by the trainer on an ongoing basis.  The trainee will demonstrate at a minimum 80% fidelity across all areas with one child.

** ESDM Coordinator, Megan Devitt, M.A.: (916) 703-0465 or megan.devitt@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Final Submission: These materials are to be sent within two months of receipt of Initial Submission feedback. Please contact the ESDM Training Coordinator** with questions well prior to the submission deadline. Materials sent after the submission deadline will not be accepted:

Trainee will submit a complete package for one additional child consisting of:

• Scored ESDM Curriculum Checklist
• Written objectives with a minimum of two objectives per developmental domain
• Developed teaching steps into the data system from the written objectives
• One 30-minute videotaped sample of unedited ESDM therapy consisting of a minimum of three activities between therapist and child.
• Self rated fidelity of videotaped therapy
• Scored data sheets of the child’s progress across targeted teaching activities from the videotaped sample.

* The submission will be evaluated according to the: (1) developmental appropriateness of Curriculum scoring, selected objectives, and progression of teaching steps, and (2) accuracy of fidelity and data scoring from videotaped samples. Written feedback of recommendations in each area will be provided by the trainer within one month of receiving the materials. Information will be shared on whether certification in the ESDM direct delivery phase has been met.

** ESDM Coordinator, Megan Devitt, M.A.: (916) 703-0465 or megan.devitt@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Apprentice at an ESDM Training Course

Those seeking Certified Trainer status must have completed their Therapist Certification and have practiced ESDM with a variety of children before becoming a trainer.

Step One:

• The Apprentice Trainer will partner with a Certified Trainer to conduct the Introductory Course and co-teach up to five participants in the Advanced Course. The Apprentice Trainer will receive active supervision and coaching from the Certified Trainer.        .

 Step Two:

• The Apprentice Trainer will coach two Trainees to fidelity in ESDM, through all the steps of becoming a credentialed ESDM Therapist. It is the paper work and therapy videos that these two Trainees provide that will be coded by the Apprentice Trainer and the Certified Trainer to determine Trainer status of the Apprentice.  The Certified Trainer will supervise and provide feedback to the Apprentice Trainer as needed in order to help with the coaching of the two Trainees.
•  Completion of all requirements for Therapist Certification of these two Trainees, rated by the ESDM Certified Trainer, results in the Certification of the Apprentice as an ESDM Trainer.  

Please contact the ESDM Training Coordinator, Megan Devitt, M.A.: (916) 703-0465 or megan.devitt@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu for more information.

1. ESDM Certified Trainers (PDF)
2. ESDM Certified Therapists (PDF) 

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