Summary Bill Description - :: Combat Autism ::

Why It's Important for Your Legislator to Become a Co-sponsor
This bill will accomplish the following goals in the fight against Autism:

Double NIH spending on autism research.

Empower the Director of the NIH to act as an "autism czar" - developing an annual research budget on autism, based on the best science, and requiring that budget be reported to Congress.

Create a screening program in all 50 states for the early identification of children with autism - short of a cure, early identification leading to early intervention with behavioral services provides the best available outcomes for autistic kids.

Fund the efforts of the Autism Treatment Network to identify the best medical practices in the treatment of autistic kids.

Continue funding of the epidemiological and public education programs on autism at the CDC.

Authorize, overall, nearly 1 billion of federal spending on autism over the next 5 years - a multi-front war on autism from public awareness and early diagnosis to basic biomedical research.

• Summary Bill Description

• H.2421 Full Text

• S.843 Full Text

• Consensus Statement

Why It's Important for Your Legislator to Become a Co-sponsor
The EPIAA will accomplish the following goals in the fight against autism:

The EPIAA will authorize approximately $350 million in new federal money – over and above all existing federal spending on autism – for important initiatives related to treatments, interventions, and services for both children and adults with autism.

More specifically, the EPIAA authorizes -

The creation of a task force (with not less than 1/3 autism community membership) to report to Congress and the Executive Branch on the state of evidence-based biomedical and behavioral treatments and services for both children and adults with autism, including identifying gaps in applied research on such treatments, interventions and services.
Demonstration grants for the coverage of treatments, interventions and services ($20 million annually).
Planning and demonstration grants for services for adults with autism ($20 million annually).
Grants for the expansion of access to immediate post-diagnosis care ($10 million in Fiscal Year 2009, growing to $20 million by Fiscal Year 2012).
National training grants for the University Centers of Excellence for Developmental Disabilities for training, technical assistance and additional services for individuals with autism and their families ($13.4 million annually).
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on service provision and financing.
Grants to protection and advocacy systems to better meet the needs of families facing autism and other developmental disabilities, including legal representation ($6 million annually).

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