Many military families are impacted by autism. Based on current prevalence rates, as many as 12,000 children in the military families (active duty, reserve and guard) may have autism. These families are substantially affected by the financial and emotional costs of raising a child with autism.
Military life is particularly difficult for children with autism and their families. Given the frequent duty station changes and social turmoil of military service, military children with an autism spectrum disorder often face additional challenges with which their civilian counterparts do not have to contend.
A specific feature of autism is extreme difficulty with life, routine, or environmental changes of any kind. These children need a set routine, stability, and continuity of services and relationships. Military life by its nature provides few of these needs. This situation is likely to weaken the morale of the parent serving the military as well as the caretaker at home.
Military-Related Federal Bill Endorsements:
Autism Speaks has created this page on Autism Votes specially to communicate with military families in the autism community. There have been several military-related federal bills over the last few years that Autism Speaks has supported.
Washington, DC (August 1, 2009) -- In a vote of 400-30, the U.S. House has approved $8 million in funding for the Department of Defense Autism Research Program (DoD-ARP) for Fiscal Year 2010. This funding has been included as part of the Defense Health Account in the Defense Appropriations bill and is the same level as Congress provided in FY 2009. The $8 million will go to continue funding of a research program to help military families with children who suffer from autism spectrum disorders.
Peter Bell, Executive Vice President for Programs and Services for Autism Speaks, and Shelley Hendrix, Director of State Advocacy Relations for Autism Speaks sit on DoD-ARP Implementation Panel.
VIDEO: Senator Gillibrand works to require TRICARE to cover full costs of proven-effective autism therapies to bring relief to military families struggling with the high costs of autism.
Many military families are impacted by autism. Based on current prevalence rates, as many as 12,000 children in the military families (active duty, reserve and guard) may have autism. These families are substantially affected by the financial and emotional costs of raising a child with autism.