In the States

Massachusetts Becomes the 23rd State to Enact Autism Insurance Reform

NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2010) -- Autism Speaks joined Massachusetts families and other autism advocacy organizations in applauding Governor Deval Patrick yesterday for signing the House Bill 4935 (An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder) requiring private health insurance plans to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies for people of all ages. Read more

Autism Speaks Joins the New Hampshire Autism Community in Applauding Governor Lynch for Signing Connor’s Law

New Hampshire Becomes 22nd State to Enact Autism Insurance Reform Legislation

NEW YORK, NY (July 27, 2010) -- Autism Speaks joined New Hampshire families, the New Hampshire Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Autism Society of New Hampshire, and other autism advocacy organizations on Friday in applauding Governor John Lynch for enacting House Bill 569, also known as Connor’s Law. This bill requires health insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies, such as applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. HB 569 will go into effect on January 1, 2011... Read more

State Assembly Joins Senate In Unanimously Passing Landmark Bill Prohibiting Insurance Discrimination Against New York Individuals With Autism

Autism Speaks Calls on Governor Paterson to Sign Landmark Bill Into Law

NEW YORK, NY (June 21, 2010) - Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today applauded the unanimous passage of landmark legislation that will require New York-based insurance policies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically-necessary treatment for individuals with autism, and called on Governor David Paterson to immediately sign the bill into law. The legislation received overwhelming bi-partisan support, with a 61-0 vote in the Senate and 132-0 vote in the Assembly. Twenty-one states have already enacted autism insurance reform measures... Read more

On the Hill

AFAA Introduces National Public Policy Agenda to Improve the Quality and Availability of Services for Adults with Autism

Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2010) – Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism (AFAA), a consortium of leading autism advocacy organizations and service providers, today unveiled a National Public Policy Agenda with the goal of inspiring legislative action to meet the increasing and unmet demand for effective services for adolescents and adults with the disorder. The National Policy Agenda was announced at a Congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. that brought together federal legislators, national policymakers and advocates for adults with autism – including individuals who have autism – to discuss priorities for action in the public and private sectors... Read more

Autism Speaks Joins Congressional Children's Health Care Caucus and Congressional Autism Caucus to Host a Briefing on "Autism: The Importance of Early Detection and Intervention"

Washington, DC (May 27, 2010) -- Yesterday, Autism Speaks hosted a briefing with the Congressional Children’s Health Care Caucus and the Congressional Autism Caucus on “Autism: The Importance of Early Detection and Intervention.” Experts in the field of autism intervention briefed congressional staffers about early identification and treatment, as well as current autism research... Read more

Autism Speaks Official Blog

August 31, 2010 Post from the Government Relations Department:

One Tough Cookie - by Shelley Hendrix, Autism Speaks Director of State Advocacy Relations

Passing autism insurance reform legislation has been one tough cookie indeed! In 2007, when Autism Speaks launched the Autism Votes program and Government Relations Department, three states had meaningful insurance coverage for children with autism. Today, three years later, our community has enacted legislation in 20 more states in an unprecedented wave of reform across the United States... Read more

The Autism Speaks Cookie Recipe for Advocacy Success:

Prep Time - September through December
Bake Time - 1 legislative session year +
Serves - As many individuals with autism and their familes as possible

Ingredients -

2 cups of all-purpose flour – This is our grassroots. We need twice as many as you would need to give it all of their purpose to make these bills become laws.

2 eggs – This is our unity and focus with the autism community. It is a binding ingredient that pulls all of the other ingredients together into delicious dough.

1 cup of sugar – This is our policy reform. It sweetens our cookies and keeps us coming back for more as that policy reforms the lives of children with autism across the United States.

1 stick of butter – This is our internal direction or lobbyists. We need the real thing, not an oily substitute, to help us grease the skids.

A pinch of salt – This is our champion or the political leadership of a state, those who are worth their salt and have the fortitude to stand up for our children.

Archive of Government Relations Blog Posts

The AV Wire

Latest Video: Parents of a Boy with Autism Map Out His Future as an Adult, ABC World News Tonight (August 16, 2010)

From Autism Speaks: 1 Percent - 1 In 110! As CDC Issues New Autism Prevalence Report, Autism Speaks Asks “What Will It Take?” For Government to Meet The Challenge Of This National Health Crisis (December 18, 2009)

Texas: Military Families Battle Against Autism, Fox 7 News (November 10, 2009)

Texas: Military Families Fight for Autism Help - Fox 7 News (September 23, 2009)

AV News Features

Autism Policy Issues: An Interview With Lorri Unumb, Autism Speaks Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel, with Stan Goldberg of Senior Dad: Autism Briefing Room (April 29, 2010)

Treating Autism Early Will Save Us Special Ed Funds Later - An Op-Ed by Alaska State Representative Pete Peterson (April 9, 2010 - Anchorage Daily News)

Autism Speaks Hails the Introduction Of The Landmark Autism Treatment Acceleration Act In the U.S. House Of Representatives (May 15, 2009)

The Council for Affordable Health Insurance Puts Cost of Autism Insurance Coverage at About 1 Percent (March 19, 2009)