1. 1. The Division, in cooperation and guidance with the Department of Education, representatives of the school districts in this State and the Commission, shall prescribe by regulation a statewide standard for measuring outcomes and assessing persons with autism spectrum disorders through the age of 21 years who receive services through the State or a local government or an agency thereof. The regulations must align with best practices guidelines and require direct observation by a provider of health care conducting an assessment for determining whether a person is a person with autism spectrum disorder. The statewide standard must be used by personnel employed by the State or a local government or an agency thereof who provide assessments, interventions and diagnoses of persons with autism spectrum disorders through the age of 21 years and by the persons with whom the State or a local government or an agency thereof contracts to provide assessments, interventions and diagnoses of persons with autism spectrum disorders through the age of 21 years.
2. 2. The statewide standard prescribed pursuant to subsection 1 must authorize a provider of health care to directly observe a person and complete an assessment to determine whether the person is a person with autism spectrum disorder so long as conducting such observation and completing such an assessment are within the scope of practice of the provider of health care.
3. 3. The statewide standard prescribed pursuant to subsection 1 must be used upon intake of a person suspected of having autism spectrum disorder or at any later time if a person is suspected of having autism spectrum disorder after intake. The results of an assessment must be provided to the parent or legal guardian of the person, if applicable.

4. 4. The Division shall prescribe the form and content of reports relating to persons with autism spectrum disorders through the age of 21 years that must be reported to the Division pursuant to NRS 388.451 and 615.205. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 388.451, the Division shall ensure that the information is reported in a manner which:

   1. (a) Allows the Division to document the services provided to and monitor the progress of each person with autism spectrum disorder through the age of 21 years who receives services from the State or an agency thereof; and
   2. (b) Ensures that information reported for each person who receives services which identifies the person is kept confidential, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, and any other applicable state and federal privacy laws.
5. 5. The Division shall prepare annually a summary of the reports submitted pursuant to NRS 388.451 and 615.205 and make the summary publicly available. The Division shall ensure that information contained in the summary does not identify a person who received services.

(Added to NRS by 2011, 2703, 2713; A 2013, 3001; 2019, 3057; 2025, 2573)