Objective: Each year, half a million families cope with pediatric life-threatening illness in the United States. While research on pediatric palliative care (PPC) is growing, literature focusing on caregivers and patients who identify as Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) is limited. Given disproportionate experiences of health care disparities among BIPOC families, further exploration of these families' perspectives of PPC is imperative to improving health equity. The present topical review summarizes existing literature on BIPOC family experiences of PPC in order to inform current clinical practice and future research. Methods: Searches were conducted on databases including PubMed and PsycInfo, using the keywords pediatric palliative care, race, and ethnicity. Results: Based on available literature, regardless of ethnicity/race, families commonly identify clinician communication and management of patient pain as critical and desired components of PPC; however, research among BIPOC families suggests unmet needs across these domains as well as the need for improved physician cultural sensitivity. Conclusions: Existing PPC research among BIPOC families suggests unmet needs across domains, as well as the importance of attention to family culture and values. We conclude by providing recommendations for a culturally sensitive, familycentered approach to PPC; in addition to future mixed-methods research recommendations focusing on the experiences of BIPOC families. Implications for Impact StatementLiterature has found that families commonly identify communication and pain management as key aspects of effective PPC, regardless of ethnic-racial background; however, BIPOC families additionally note the importance of cultural sensitivity with regards to their care. This review highlights the importance of culturally sensitive PPC and provides research and clinical recommendations for providing care from this inclusive approach.

Given long waitlists for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evaluation coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to triage patients to services they are likely to receive diagnostic clarity (i.e., virtual, in-person evaluation). Participants attended a virtual ASD assessment. A subset also attended in-person evaluation. Results suggest younger children with educational services for ASD may benefit from virtual assessment while older patients with a history of psychiatric conditions may benefit from in-person evaluation. An ASD symptom severity tool related to virtual and in-person diagnostic clarity. Family history of ASD related to in-person diagnosis while other variables (e.g., age, educational services) did not. The study suggests patient characteristics may be used to determine for whom virtual ASD assessment may be appropriate.