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Legislative Issues

 

NEWS

California Autism News from Autism Speaks:

Autism Speaks Urges California Legislative Leaders for Fast Action on Autism Insurance Bill

Senate President Pro Tem Steinberg Offers the ‘Right Answer’ for California Families

NEW YORK, NY (August 17, 2011) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism advocacy organization, joined California families today in applauding Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg on his effort to amend legislation that would give families caring for children with autism access to insurance coverage for critical therapies. (Read Senator Steinberg's release.)

“It is long past time for California to join the 27 other states that have enacted autism insurance reform legislation to protect families from the discriminatory practices of the health insurance industry,” said Lorri Unumb, Esq., Autism Speaks vice president of state government affairs. “Senator Steinberg, Assembly Speaker John Perez and other legislators, recognizing that the DMHC settlements need to be clarified, are showing the leadership necessary to ensure that families get the treatments their children deserve.” 

The legislation, SB 770, was introduced today by Senator Steinberg, and co-authored by Senator Noreen Evans and Assemblymember Jim Beall, clarifying that behavioral health treatments, such as applied behavior analysis, are considered covered benefits. Many of the 18,000 California families caring for children with autism are now forced to pay out-of-pocket for such treatments, which can total tens of thousands of dollars a year, because of a lack of insurance coverage.

The goal of SB 770 is to correct a flaw in recent insurance settlements negotiated last month by the state Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) with two major insurers so that they can provide the intended benefit of giving families access to such treatments through licensed or certified providers.

Summary of Amended Autism Insurance Reform Bill:

Senate Bill 770 - Authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (6th District;) Coauthored by Senator Noreen Evans (2nd District) 

• Would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for behavioral health treatment, including Applied Behavior Analysis
  
  
• Defines "qualified autism service provider" to include state-licensed or nationally certified providers
  

• Requires coverage for the supervisor/consultant and the therapists implementing the treatment

• Imposes no cap on age or number of visits

• Imposes no annual benefit dollar limit
  
  
• Does not affect any obligation to provide services to an individual under an individualized family service plan, an individualized program plan, a prevention program plan, an individualized education program, or an individualized service plan
  
  
• Applies only to state-regulated private insurance plans; it does not apply to self-funded insurance plans as these are regulated by the federal government under ERISA law
  
  
• Would go into effect upon enactment for every health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2012  

Autism Speaks Urges Governor Brown to Halt Further DMHC Insurance Agreements on Autism Coverage

Settlements with Health Plans Do Not Require Coverage for
Mainstream Treatment Recognized by Law in 27 Other States

WASHINGTON, DC (July 20, 2011) – Autism Speaks today urged Governor Jerry Brown to stop the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) from entering into any further agreements with health plans to provide coverage for autism treatments because in practice they will do more to prevent than require coverage. Read more....

Autism Speaks Urges California Legislature to Follow Lead of 27 Other States, Act Quickly on Autism Insurance Reform Bill

DMHC Settlement with Blue Shield is ‘Not the Answer’ for Families Paying Thousands of Dollars a Year in Out-of-Pocket Expenses

NEW YORK, NY (July 15, 2011) – Action on an autism insurance reform bill before the California Legislature is more urgent than ever in the wake of a settlement the state reached with a major health plan which does little to improve coverage for families, Lorri Unumb, Esq., Autism Speaks’ vice president of state government affairs, said today. Read more...

Senate Select Committee on Autism Convenes Informational Hearing on Insurance Coverage

Autism Speaks' Lorri Unumb Discusses Impact of Federal Health Reform on Behavioral Intervention Therapy

NEW YORK, NY (July  13, 2011) – The California Senate Select Committee on Autism & Related Disorders, chaired by Senate President Darrell Steinberg, held a hearing today to hear expert testimony on autism insurance coverage and behavioral intervention therapy. Lorri Unumb, Esq., vice president for state government relations for Autism Speaks, addressed the impact of the new federal health care law on behavioral intervention therapy.

To view a video of the hearing, click here.
 For a copy of the agenda, click here.

Autism Speaks Joins California Autism Community in Endorsing Autism Insurance Reform Bill

Assembly Bill 171 Would End Health Care Discrimination Against Children with Autism by Requiring Coverage of Diagnosis and Treatment

NEW YORK, NY (January 25, 2011) – Autism Speaks joined today with members of the Alliance of California Autism Organizations (ACAO), families and other autism advocates to announce its support for Assembly Bill 171, the autism insurance reform bill. The legislation would require private health insurance companies to cover the screening, diagnosis, testing, and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Read more...

Health-care Reform Bill Passes Both Houses
Monday, March 22, 2010
By: Hannah Cary... Autism Society
http://www.autism-society.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15849&news_iv_ctrl=2182

Reconciliation "Fix" Sent to the Senate

On Sunday, March 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate version of health-care reform. "The Autism Society is pleased that Congress took a step in the right direction late last night," said Lee Grossman, President and CEO of the Autism Society, "but we have much more work to do to ensure that families affected by autism have access to appropriate services and supports."

After more than a year of debate, the bill passed 219 to 212 and was signed into law Tuesday, March 23. This bill, which passed the Senate in late December, includes the following provisions for people with autism:

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Insurers would be prohibited from excluding coverage based on pre-existing conditions;

Insurers would be prevented from selectively refusing to renew coverage;

Insurers would no longer be able to charge people different premiums based on their health status, gender or occupation;

A standardized annual out-of-pocket spending limit would be established so that no family would face bankruptcy due to medical expenses;

Annual and lifetime benefit caps would be prohibited;

Mental health would be covered;

“Habilitative” and “maintenance services” would be covered; and

Coverage of “behavioral health treatments,” such as ABA therapy, would be required.

Another bill, titled the Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872), also passed in the House on Sunday, with 220 votes to 211. This reconciliation package was included as a compromise to many Members of the House, and fixes issues in the Senate bill that had kept many Members from passing the Senate bill earlier. This bill will be voted on in the Senate by budget reconciliation rules, which only require 51 votes and would prevent a filibuster.

On Thursday, March 25, a bill containing important tax and Medicare changes to the $938 billion health-care overhaul law passed the U.S. Senate, and will now return to the House for a second vote before heading to the White House. By a 56-43 vote, the Senate passed the supplemental bill, which rewrites several provisions of a broader health-care overhaul signed into law earlier this week. The bill of fixes was already passed by the U.S. House on Sunday, but it will require another House vote because Senate Republicans successfully argued that two minor student-loan provisions should be struck from the measure.

Health Care Reform: What does it mean for the Autism Community?

From Autism Speaks, April 2010 - Health Care Reform

http://www.autismvotes.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=frKNI3PCImE&b=3930723&ct=8129903

Families caring for a child with autism often have health insurance, but most of these plans explicitly exclude coverage of the treatments their child needs. Since 2007, Autism Speaks has been working with grassroots partners on autism insurance reform in states across the country with the goal of enacting legislation that would end marketplace discrimination on the basis of an autism diagnosis. To date, 15 states have passed reform measures that specifically require insurers to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary treatments including behavioral therapies, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Similar legislation is pending in about two dozen additional states.

From the beginning we knew that passage of state laws was only a first step – albeit a critical one – and that true autism insurance reform would demand a federal law requiring all types of health plans to cover autism treatments. President Obama even made a campaign pledge during the 2008 election that he would support a federal mandate requiring coverage of autism treatments.

With today’s historic signing of health care reform legislation by President Obama, people are asking “What does this mean for autism insurance reform?” As many know, Autism Speaks, the autism grassroots community, and our supporters in Congress, especially Congressman Mike Doyle (PA) in the House and Senators Robert Menendez (NJ) and Chris Dodd (CT) in the Senate, worked very hard during the past year to include in health care reform legislation language that would address the insurance inequities many families have endured for decades. This language makes behavioral health treatments a part of the essential health benefits that must be included in certain health plans.

There are many questions about what health care reform WILL and WON’T do to help your family cover the cost of the medically necessary, evidence-based behavioral therapies. Let’s consider where things stand.

Will health care reform directly benefit the autism community?

The new health care reform law will curb abusive practices like pre-existing condition exclusions, excessive waiting periods for coverage, and rescissions of coverage. Some insurers will be limited in their ability to set lifetime or annual limits on the dollar value of benefits. This may affect caps on autism insurance benefits in some states.

Does it apply to all insurers?

While the new health care reform law will extend autism insurance reform to some families, not all insurance plans will be required to cover behavioral health treatment. That’s because only certain types of health plans will be required, beginning in 2014, to cover the list of essential benefits, including behavioral health treatment. The types of plans included under this provision are: (1) plans offered by state-based exchanges, through which individuals and small businesses can purchase coverage; and (2) plans offered in the individual and small group markets outside the exchange. Existing coverage, plans offered in the large group market outside exchanges, and self-insured plans (plans under which an employer assumes direct financial responsibility for the costs of enrollees’ medical claims, or sometimes referred to as “ERISA plans”) will not be required to provide the essential benefits package. This last exception is especially significant because 57% of workers who are currently covered by their employers’ health benefits are enrolled in a plan self-insured by the employer.

How does health care reform impact the state autism insurance reform effort?

Autism Speaks is committed to autism insurance reform that includes coverage of all medically necessary, evidence-based treatments for all people living with autism spectrum disorders. While passage of health care reform will bring some relief to families caring for a child with autism, there is still much work to be done in state legislatures and in Congress to make effective health care coverage a reality for the autism community and to bring about an end to discrimination of individuals with autism by the insurance industry.

We all know families who have gone to extreme measures, including mortgaging their homes and the futures of other children, in order to provide the best possible services for their child with autism. According to research, families living with autism have far greater medical expenditures and out-of-pocket costs and are far less likely to report that health insurance meets their child’s needs when compared to families living without autism. Health care reform will not end these problems, but it may lessen their severity. That’s why Autism Speaks will continue its efforts to make autism insurance reform a reality for all Americans living with autism.

2008-2009 Autism Bills:

Mon Nov 10, 2008 8:51 am (PST)

President- Elect Barack Obama Drafts Federal Autism Insurance Mandate Bill From Autism Speaks.  President-Elect Obama has drafted comprehensive autism legislation, including a section addressing a broad based federal autism insurance mandate. In his Presidential campaign statement on Autism Spectrum Disorders, President-Elect Obama committed to bringing autism insurance reform to the entire nation. The statement stated that Obama and Biden "will mandate insurance coverage of autism treatment and will also continue to work with parents, physicians, providers, researchers, and schools to create opportunities and effective solutions for people with ASD." For the complete campaign statement, and to read the draft legislation, go to www.autismvotes. org.President- Elect Barack Obama on Autism: "A New Dawn of American Leadership Is At Hand" President-Elect Barack Obama's win last night may prove to be a win for the autism community as well. In his campaign statement on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Obama has committed to bringing autism insurance reform to our entire nation. His statement reads, Obama and Biden will ......
For rest of today's SAR click here:http://www.sarnet.org/frm/forsar.htm
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________

The press conference is up on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlXehHbQthI.

From Senator Tom Torlakson's Office:
SACRAMENTO - California Lawmakers today unveiled a comprehensive legislative
package of eight bills to address the rise in diagnoses of children with
autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in California. The bills were inspired by a
report issued by the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on
Autism.

"This Commission was charged with providing real solutions and
recommendations to improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) and their families," said Senate pro Tempore Don Perata
(D-Oakland), who authored the resolution that created the commission (SCR
51, 2005).

The Commission consists of health experts, family members, business leaders,
educators and researchers and is chaired by Sen. Darrell Steinberg
(D-Sacramento).

"The increase in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders affects
families, schools and communities all over California," Steinberg said.
"Today this Legislature is responding strongly to the challenges this
disorder poses to the state."

After conducting extensive public hearings and town-hall meetings throughout
California, the Commission submitted its findings and recommendations to the
Governor and Legislature in its report: An Opportunity to Achieve Real
Change for Californians with Autism Spectrum Disorders; September 2007. You
can read the report at: http://senweb03.senate.ca.gov/autism/index.html

"With the broad participation of parents, families, consumers, educators,
clinicians, researchers and advocates the Commission's report provides a
momentous step in forging new directions for real change," said Dr. Barbara
Firestone, Commission Vice-Chair and President & CEO of The Help Group.

The Autism legislative package includes the following bills:

. SB 1563 (Sen. Perata) to provide appropriate and equitable coverage for
ASD by private health plans and insurers

. SB 527 (Sen. Steinberg) to improve the early identification and
intervention for young children with ASD

. SB 1175 (Sen. Steinberg) to expand the housing and independent living
opportunities for adults with ASD

. SB 1475 (Sen. Tom Torlakson) to improve the coordination of ASD services
and programs between regional centers and school districts for children from
birth to five years of age

. SB 1364 (Sen. Gil Cedillo) to improve community awareness and outreach
efforts on ASD by the California Department of Public Health

. SB 1531 (Sen. Lou Correa) to improve the training and knowledge of ASD
among law enforcement officers

. AB 2303 (Assembly Speaker-Elect Karen Bass) to expand the credentials that
would qualify teachers to educate students with ASD

. AB 1872 (Asm. Joe Coto) to establish a state clearinghouse for the
education of students with ASD.

The Autism Legislative Package is supported by numerous families and
stakeholders such as actor Gary Cole, the parent of a child with ASD.

"The Autism Commission has not only garnered enthusiastic support from
stakeholders and autism organizations, but today's California autism
legislative package brings real hope into the lives of individuals and
families coping with autism throughout our state and nation," said Cole.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), commonly referred to as autism, are brain
based developmental disabilities characterized by language/communication
problems, impaired social interaction and repetitive rigid behaviors and
interests. Once considered rare, autism is the fastest growing serious
developmental disability and is more prevalent than juvenile diabetes,
childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined.

Autism now affects 1 in every 150 children in the United States; every 20
minutes another child is diagnosed. Autism is four times more common in boys
than girls and occurs in children of all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic
backgrounds. Nationally, the diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in
the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called
autism a national public health crisis. The economic impact of autism is
estimated to exceed $90 billion annually.


Information on Health Insurance for ASD kids/adults 2008-2009
From the desk of Karen Fessel P.hD

NEW ASD INSURANCE SUPPORT GROUPS
CAN HELP YOU GET THE COVERAGE YOU DESERVE
 
Did you know that it is possible to get OT, ST, PT and ABA covered and paid for by your insurance provider?  Current California law requires it – and families are starting to win their appeals. Fellow parent advocates are ready and willing to help.  For further information join this group:
California ASD Insurance Help
To subscribe send an e-mail to:
ASDInsuranceHelp-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
 
If you have Kaiser as your HMO join this group:
Kaiser Spectrum Kids
To subscribe send an e-mail to:
kaiserspectrumkids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
 
Or just go to Yahoo Groups and search for the group name and click join on the homepage.
 
To watch a recent ABC news show, click both the links below. Make sure to watch both parts of the story of this 30 minute interview with the Kaiser spokesperson. If you want to see more media coverage on this topic, be sure to add a comment to ABC’s web page – the more interest a story generates, the more likely follow up stories are.
Part 1 Woman Fights Kaiser on Autism Policy
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/health&id=6493262
Part 2 Insurance Companies won’t pay for autism
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/assignment_7&id=6493263

 

 

Information From CDCAC February 2007-
Number of Autism Related Cases "Exploding" Across Nation & State
* About one child in 150 develops autism or a related disorder like Asperger's syndrome by the age of 8, according to a federal government study released February 8th, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The analysis involved these states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
* The study, which looked at cases of  autism spectrum disorders in 14 states in 2000 and 2002 confirmed recent estimates used previously by federal and state government agencies,  which put the number at roughly one in 160 children.  In the 1980's the number was estimated at 1 in 200 children. 
* Researchers said the study was the most comprehensive analysis to date of the increasing numbers of children with autism or related disorders in the US.
*  In California, the numbers of current caseload of persons with autism being served by the 21 non-profit regional centers under the Department of Developmental Services have as one advocate put it "exploded" with a dramatic increase  from 4,911 in August 1993 to over 31,000 persons in 2006. The State reports that about 77% of those persons are children under the age of 18 years.  It is considered by advocates and state officials as the fastest growing major developmental disability in California touching every community and ethnic group. 
* The Department of Developmental Services reports that the California's autism caseload increased by 634% from 1987 to the end of 2002, with about a net increase of over 3,000 persons with autism being added every year to the caseload.  The state considers autism as the fastest growing developmental disability.
* The percentage increase in the number of children and adults with autism who received services through the 21 regional centers under the Department of Developmental Services during the first quarter of 2005 more than tripled the percentage increase in the number of individuals for the three other primary types of developmental disability combined, according to the State. 
* Those numbers do not include thousands more who may not know of those services or fall outside the eligibility requirements to receive it.
 [Note: The State changed eligibility standards - some critics say significantly narrowed it - that came into effect in 2004. The Governor, as part of his budget for 2007-2008, proposes to continue the change in eligibility that originally was supposed to expire last year.. Democrats in both houses of the state Legislature seem at this point to support doing so, according to Capitol observers]
* The California Department of Education reported that in the 1992-93 school year, there were 1,982 students with autism who were enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade with that number dramatically increasing by 2004  to 21,948.  The Department of Education says the number of students with autism enrolled in K-12 schools has increased over 1,000% in the past 23 years with nearly every region of the state reporting a doubling of the numbers of children with autism being enrolled in recent years. 

Ask Your Senators to Sign Onto the Lifespan Respite Appropriations Letter Today!

Contact your Senate offices today and ask them to sign a letter (see PDF) being circulated by Senators Clinton and Warner to the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting $40 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Act for FY 08. Deadline for Senators to sign on is April 23.

The Lifespan Respite Care Act authorizes competitive state grants to Aging and Disability Resource Centers in collaboration with a public or private non-profit state respite coalition or organization to make quality respite available and accessible to family caregivers regardless of age or disability. The law allows grantees to identify, coordinate and build on federal, state and local respite resources and funding streams, and would help support, expand and streamline planned and emergency respite, provider recruitment and training, and caregiver training.

To identify your Senators and their contact information, visit http://www.congress.org/ and enter your zip code. The most effective way is to call them directly. Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the Senator’s office and then ask for staff who handles appropriations or health issues.

From CDCAC 2007
SOME EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA

To see web cast of the Blue Commission meeting held in Sacramento on March 1, 2007 re: autism visit:
http://www.calchannel.com/

Autism Speaks Applauds Introduction of Legislation
Autism Speaks joined with Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Wayne Allard as they announced the introduction of the Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act of 2007, landmark legislation that would dramatically expand federal funding for life-long services for people with autism. Read more. Plus, see photos from the announcement. And click here to ask your Senators to co-sponsor the bill.

* LEGISLATIVE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON AUTISM - In California, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland) authored SCR 51, which passed in 2005, that created a  Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism to study issues including the early identification and intervention of Autism Spectrum Disorders and to also  identify gaps in programs, services and funding related to the early identification, education and treatment and provide recommendations to close the identified gaps.  The commission is required under SCR 51 to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature no later than September 30, 2007.  SCR 51 passed both houses of the Legislature overwhelmingly.  In the State Senate it passed 39-0 with one senator absent or abstaining.  In the Assembly it passed 75-1, with only Republican Assemblymember (now retired) Ray Haynes voting no. 

February 2007 News....

Tommy G. Thompson, Co-Chairman		Roy E. Barnes, Co-Chairman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 13, 2007		Contact: Jennifer W. Adams Phone: 202/285-4268-C
Commission Releases Final Report for NCLB Reauthorization Recommendations to Serve as Blueprint for Change WASHINGTON, DC —Today the Commission on No Child Left Behind released its final recommendations for the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).  The 75 recommendations in the report focus on making sure teachers and principals are effective, improving accountability measures, effective school improvement and student options, rigorous standards, and strengthening high schools.  “We hope this report will serve as a blueprint for Congress and the Administration as they work to reauthorize NCLB this year,” said Secretary Tommy Thompson.  “The commission worked tirelessly and in a bi-partisan manner to come up with a comprehensive package of reforms that we believe will significantly improve the law.” “It is our hope that the administration and Congress will build on what we have learned about NCLB in its first five years,” said Governor Roy Barnes.  “We believe our recommendations will help improve academic achievement for our Nation’s students and, most importantly, quicken the closing of the achievement gap.” When it was first passed in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act was one of the most significant steps taken by the Federal government to focus on raising student achievement for all children while addressing the achievement gaps that separate disadvantaged students from their non disadvantaged peers.  The Commission’s charge was to identify the successes of NCLB as well as its challenges and problems and to develop solutions that will improve the law’s impact on raising student achievement and closing these achievement gaps.  These recommendations were produced through a bipartisan independent process that included 12 public hearings and roundtables around the country and over 10,000 emails, submissions of written testimony, meetings and letters from those with thoughts on how to improve the law. Most of the Commission’s recommendations can be grouped into 5 broad categories: Ensuring Teachers and Principals are Effective at Improving Student Achievement Accelerating Progress through Accurate and Fair Accountability Measures Effective School Improvement and Quality Student Options Rigorous Standards Tied to College and Workplace Readiness Strengthening and Reforming High Schools It is expected that Congress will begin work to reauthorize NCLB this year.  The Commission will work with Congress, the Administration, the education community and the general public throughout the reauthorization process to make the case for our recommendations.  In the coming weeks, the Commission will be announcing a schedule of events and continuing analysis and research that will be conducted to support the reauthorization process. The entire Commission report can be read, ordered and downloaded at www.nclbcommission.org. The Commission on No Child Left Behind is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Spencer Foundation. This document is published to communicate the results of the Commission’s work. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in the Commission’s documents are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the donors.      ***

  Newly Published information from The M.I.N.D. Institute
The MIND Institute - this article is about a link between neurons in the amygdala (part of the brain related to emotion, particularly identifying and responding to emotions) and autism, specifically in boys.  http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/newsroom/releases/archives/mind/2006/amygdala7-2006.html


***BREAKING NEWS  February 2007***
From US Autism & Asperger Association

If you missed the new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that finds that autism is more prevalent than ever before estimated, affecting roughly 1 in 150 American children, you were either in another country where you didn't have access to the Internet, or you were on vacation mimicking the Corona commercials that recently appeared during the Super Bowl time outs. The news appeared everywhere, in newspapers, television and radio. The problem was, that in many cases, the story was buried.

Enter the words MMRW (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), CDC, and autism in Google. What appears is the MMRW home page that even positions the autism prevalence studies as the third story behind "Unintentional Poisoning Deaths," and "Indicators for Occupational Health Surveillance." If the report, from the CDC, on autism states that "ASDs are more common than previously thought and are conditions of urgent public health concern," and is considered less important that recreational drug use with a prevalence of 7.1 in 100,000 population, then it may be difficult for the news media to understand the significance of the autism epidemic. Ironically, the autism prevalence report appears directly across from the recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0-18 years. Is the placement ironic or is it a carefully planned position on this page?

Let's look at some of the headlines and comments from different media sources from this past week.

<>

ABC News, "Autism: What's in a Number?", identified that the Washington Post had the report on page A6, The New York Times on page A12. Gary Langer from ABC news says, "...before we blame the media [on the positioning of the story], we might take a look at the source of the confusion — the news conference the CDC held to announce the study Thursday."

KOMOTV.com, Seattle, Washington, "Study: Autism on the rise; state urged to take action." In Washington state, the numbers are similar to the national findings. The University of Washington's Autism Center is known as a leader in both diagnosis and treatment, but Dr. King says there are not nearly enough services for everyone. "We've known that this is a problem for a long time and we still have the waiting lists, we still have the lines," he said.

Tuscaloosanews.com, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, "Experts: State autism higher than listed." Centers for Disease Control survey showed that the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder among 8-year-olds in Alabama was 3.3 per 1,000 compared to a national average of 6.6 per 1,000. The medical professionals said the state's numbers were low because researchers had access only to health department records, while most of the other states allowed use of education department records as well. They said Alabama also has fewer autism programs than the other states, limiting the information available. University of Alabama at Birmingham professor Russell Kirby, [who] organized Alabama's data collection for the study, said Alabama education officials cited privacy laws in not allowing access to their records. “We're fairly well convinced that we missed a lot of cases because of our inability to review records in schools," Kirby said.

nj.com, The Star Ledger, New Jersey, "Study: N.J. leads nation in rate of child autism." New Jersey leads the nation in child autism rates, according to a study that examined at the prevalence of the disorder across the country. An estimated one in 60 boys are diagnosed with autism in the state."

Deseret News, Provo, Utah, "Utah autism rate among highest; increases twentyfold in 20 years." "With numbers like this, I think it qualifies as an urgent public health concern," said Judith Zimmerman, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the U. [University of Utah].

Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah, "'Wake-Up Call' on Autism: Study shows dramatic growth in syndrome." In Utah alone, the study revealed, 1 in 133 children have an ASD - the third highest rate among the 14 U.S. sites that gathered data. Boys in Utah, the study revealed, are six-and-a-half times more likely to have autism than girls. About 1 in 79 boys have it, compared to 1 in 500 girls.

newswise.com, from the University of Indianapolis, "Increases in Autism Rates Not Surprising to Education Expert." “We have seen the rates of autism increase dramatically over the last seven years,” notes Dr. John Somers, director of graduate programs and coordinator of special education in UIndy's School of Education. The rise in autism cases puts intense pressure on schools to meet the needs of autistic children. “Schools are reeling today to accommodate the needs of the increasing number of children diagnosed with autism,” Somers explains. “Because students with autism embody a multitude of needs and services (special education teachers, speech-language pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, etc.), the increase is overwhelming and we do not have enough school personnel trained in this area to deliver much needed services.”

<>Medicalnewstoday.com, "National Autism Association Renews Call For CDC To Declare Autism A National Emergency." "While it's nice that the CDC has shared these findings with the public, they must move forward with a plan to treat the children suffering with autism now," said NAA board chair Claire Bothwell. "This agency has yet to answer the question, 'Why are so many children sick?' If this were an epidemic of practically any other disease among the children of this country, they would have long since investigated how it could have happened and made earnest attempts to find treatments."

****Insurance NEWS 2007****


Autism INSURANCE information regarding AB 88
from the web site:
"Insurance Help For Autism" by T. S. Eliot
http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com/index.html

<><>

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/99-00/bill/asm/ab_0051-0100/ab_88_bill_19990928_chaptered.html
http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com/AB88.html
http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com/guide.html
http://www.insurancehelpforautism.com/links.html
Contact information:  info@insurancehelpforautism.com
*************************************************************************

<>
Supreme court hearings regarding special education
* U. S. Supreme Court *

For Supreme Court news, commentary and analysis, orders, opinions, and multimedia, go
to Scotusblog at:
http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/

The most recent article about the Winkelman case is "Argument Recap: Winkelman v.
Parma City School District on 2/27" by Molly Cutler of the Stanford Supreme Court
Litigation:
http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/2007/03/argument_recap_14.html

Oyez is the Supreme Court multimedia site where you can hear podcasts, interviews, and
take a virtual tour of the Supreme Court building:
http://www.oyez.org/

To learn more about the Supreme Court, and the procedures that govern the Court, go to:
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/about.html

===============

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Regulations for IDEA 2004

It is expected that the federal regulations to implement IDEA 2004 will be issued in late August by the U.S. Department of Education. Look for the latest information on www.pacer.org or www.fape.org.

Reference Sites:
IDEA information- http://www.ideapractices.org

IEP Information- http://www.dds.cahwnet.gov/

Composite of Laws-
http://www.eit.otan.dni.us/speced/laws

California Special Ed Law- http://www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/sed/

Family Education lawyers write this web site- http://www.familyeducation.com

Educating the student with AS-
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/

Autism resource site-
http://www.autism-resources.com

American Disability Act - ADA-
http://www.ada.gov/votingck.htm

Education for Autistic Children Act
(TEACH Bill 2003)
http://www.autism-society.org

CA Disability Cummunity Action Network
http://www.cdcan.us

Special Ed Law-
http://www.edlaw.net
http://www.specialed.about.com
http://www.reedmartin.com
http://www.specialedadvocate.com
http://www.educationaltools4kids.com


Community Advisory Committee for
Mt. Diablo School District (CAC)
http://www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  Autism Research Agenda is involved in a ten year autism research program.    The CDC has begun a series of public input meetings - regarding autism activities/research.  For more information:
autismresearch@cdc.gov


Autism: A.L.A.R.M. Helps Primary Care Physicians diagnosis early Autism - Visit
http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm

Call or write your State Legislators;
http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm
http://www.cbp.org

or write:
Governor Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-445-2841
Fax 916-445-4633

First Lady Maria Shriver
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-445-2841
Fax 916-445-4633

The following web sites are resource sites providing detailed information about proposed cuts:

"U.S. Department of Education" <Teachers@westat.com


CA budget project:  http://www.cbp.org

National Health Law Project: http://www.healthlaw.org/

CA Alliance for inclusive communities:  http://www.caic.org

Protection and Advocacy: http://www.pai-ca.org/PublicAffairs/BudgetCrisis.htm

Support for Families: http://www.supportforfamilies.org/legislative/current.html

Http://www.autismeducation.net
Http://www.wrightslaw.com

Legislative Action:
http://www.pacer.org/legislation/idea.htm
http://www.peoplefirst.org
http://www.dds.ca.gov/autism/autism_main.cfm

Reed Martin is an attorney with over 35 years experience in special education law and

recognized as one of the nation's leading experts.

For information about his web site or newsletter visit: http://www.reedmartin.com or em: connie@reedmartin.com

Disclaimer: The information, views, and opinions provided on this web page may not have been completely verified and is not to be considered as a personal recommendation or referral to any person or organization.

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Last updated on 9.1.11