A 9-year-old boy with a confirmed diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) level 1 (requiring support) is brought to the PMHNP by his parents for evaluation of increasing anxiety symptoms over the past four months. He attends a mainstream classroom with an individualized education program. His parents report that he has developed intense fears about changes in his daily routine, becomes extremely distressed when plans change unexpectedly, and has started refusing to go to school on days when a substitute teacher is scheduled. He has also begun having difficulty falling asleep, frequently asking his parents repeated questions about the next day's schedule. He has no history of psychotropic medication use. His developmental pediatrician manages his ASD-related services including speech therapy and social skills groups. He is verbal and communicative, though his parents note that he has difficulty identifying and expressing his emotions. The PMHNP needs to develop an initial treatment plan.