Rationale. The originally approved objectives of R42MH115539 include improving police interaction outcomes by using immersive virtual reality to teach safety skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Community and stakeholder engagement during Phase I and the first half of Phase II ? particularly by individuals from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds ? confirmed that this original objective is more efficiently achieved when police are also equipped with basic knowledge about autism. Basic knowledge, which includes how autistic people may respond differently to lights, sirens, physical proximity, weapons, questioning, and physical touch would help officers respond appropriately to newly learned skills deployed by individuals with ASD. Importantly, research shows that police respond differentially to members of racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States, but research samples ? including Phase I of the current project ? rarely include representative samples of racial/ethnic minority participants. This administrative supplement application therefore aims to increase the value of the parent project by creating companion lessons for police officers that are designed to be used in conjunction with Floreo?s primary Police Safety Module, and which will include a focus on inclusion for autistic individuals from minority backgrounds. The primary goal of this administrative supplement is to increase research participation and engagement with members of primarily urban racial/ethnic minority communities in Philadelphia during Phase II of the parent award. The secondary goal of this supplement is to take advantage of a short-term opportunity to develop and pilot immersive virtual reality autism knowledge training for police officers, informed by stakeholder input (autistic individuals and family members, particularly those from racial/ethnic minority groups, other community stakeholders, autism experts, and police organizations). This pair of goals was developed in response to knowledge gained from our oral presentation on this project the annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research in May of 2019, and builds on Floreo?s successful collaboration with the Center for Autism Research at Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department. With this supplement application, Floreo is demonstrating commitment to ?taking advantage of serendipitous and other unanticipated opportunities to increase the value of the project consistent with the originally approved objectives.?
