The LoneStar LEND is a collaborative effort between UTHealth, University of Houston, Texas Women’s University, University of Houston- Clear Lake and Baylor College of Medicine. Its purpose is to improve global service delivery, including increased identification and diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum and other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (ASD/ND), to children with ASD/ND across the state of Texas in the Core Disciplines. This is accomplished by providing training in the Texas Medical Center and across the entire state through a Distance Learning Initiative and annual conference.

The LoneStar LEND mission particularly promotes underrepresented and underserved children across Texas, teaching cultural and linguistic competency and family-centered care in an interdisciplinary model to produce future leaders equipped to serve children with ASD/ND.