Background & Bio
Paige (Bussanich) Falion, MS, is the Associate Director for child health and children and youth with special health care needs (CYSCHN) on the child and adolescent health team at AMCHP. Ms. Falion has over 10 years of extensive experience in working with individuals with disabilities in research, evaluation, and outreach settings. As a former Wisconsin Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (WI LEND) fellow, she’s received training in service and care of MCH and CYSHCN populations, leadership development, core knowledge of neurodevelopmental disabilities, interdisciplinary and family-centered practices, and research and dissemination. She also has experience as a facilitator for a psychoeducational group for adults with autism and is clinically certified to administer the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama and received her Master of Science in Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology, where her research was focused on parental attributions for positive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder.

My Current Work
State Public Health Autism Resource Center (SPHARC) Program Director
AMCHP COVID-19 response co-lead
Partnership for State Title V MCH Leadership—Collaboration and Coordination goal lead
Increasing Public Health Preparedness Capability among Maternal and Child Health programs co-lead
National Standards for CYSHCN Systems of Care
Leadership Institute for CYSHCN Directors (LICD)
Increasing Public Health Preparedness Capability among Maternal and Child Health programs
Learn the Signs. Act Early.

Ask Me About
Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs/medical complexity
Disability justice
Public health emergency response
Systems of care
Zika virus response
Autism and other Developmental Disabilities
Developmental Screening
Early childhood systems building
Meaningful stakeholder engagement
Hobbies/special interests: being a friend to the environment, cuddling my cats, being a disability and mental health advocate (proud spoonie)