OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER: Help Support the Global Autism Assistance Act and the World Autism Awareness Day Resolution

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Help Support the Global Autism Assistance Act and the World Autism Awareness Day Resolution

ASA applauds the recent introduction of two bills to mark World Autism Awareness Day by U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ).

The first bill is a House concurrent resolution observing World Autism Awareness Day and calling for greater federal action to address the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Specifically, this resolution recognizes the importance of autism awareness and expresses the House of Representatives' commitment to increase funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and support for individuals who care for those with autism.

The second bill would fund programs addressing autism in the developing world. This legislation, the Global Autism Assistance Act, would authorize $10 million over three years for service providers and advocacy groups for children with autism specifically in countries with weak healthcare infrastructure and help America regain its leadership position around the world. The Global Autism Assistance Act would fund small grants to raise autism awareness and create new ways to share American expertise and advancements in the diagnoses and treatment of autism with families and medical professionals in countries that have yet to focus on the worldwide increase in the prevalence of autism.

The Global Autism Assistance Act would also establish a "teach the teachers" program in which qualified U.S. specialists would train education and health professionals working with children with autism in the developing world. The program would host multiple workshops to enable American education, medical, and psychological specialists to share their expertise with parents and health and education professionals in the program's pilot regions. This is designed to help create a new corps of professionals in the pilot regions who can then fan out and help others further their autism assistance programs on their own.

Help support these important bills by writing to your U.S. representative. Use this link to write in support of the World Autism Awareness Day Resolution, and use this link to write in support of the Global Autism Assistance Act. Together, we can improve the quality of live for individuals with autism around the world.

Sincerely,

Lee Grossman
President & CEO
Autism Society of America

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