Hillary Clinton is proposing a new, wide-ranging autism initiative that would boost screening, improve treatment, increase research, and expand employment and housing opportunities for those impacted by autism.
More than 3.5 million Americans are believed to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, according to an estimate by the Centers for Disease Control, one in every 68 children in the United States was identified as having ASD in 2010. Clinton will discuss the plan at a town hall meeting in Sioux City, Iowa, this afternoon.
“As a country, we must make a priority of supporting the millions of Americans with autism, and their loved ones. My plan takes a comprehensive approach by boosting screening, improving treatment, and expanding employment and housing opportunities for those with autism.,” Clinton said of her new plan. “Too many American families are staying up at night worrying about their family members, especially children, who are living with autism. There is more we can do.”
Clinton’s autism initiative
- Push states to require private insurers to cover autism services, both behavioral and developmental.
- Conduct a nationwide early screening outreach campaign to ensure that all children, and in particular children from underserved backgrounds, can get screened for autism. Studies suggest that children who are African-American, Latino, or female are especially likely to receive late diagnoses, as early warning signs get missed.
- Launch the Autism Works Initiative to extend new resources and establish public-private partnerships that will ensure a post-graduation transition plan for every student with autism aging out of school-based services and create new employment opportunities.
- Enact the Keeping All Students Safe Act to protect children from abusive practices in their school by banning bans the use of mechanical and chemical restraints, and physical restraints that restrict breathing; and other reforms to protect children with autism from abusive treatment in the schools. In addition, Clinton will toughen the U.S. Department of Education guidance on bullying to protect autistic children from bullying in their classroom.
- Enforce mental health parity protections. After years of advocacy, Congress enacted the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act in 2008. But seven years later, the bill is still inconsistently enforced. As president, Clinton will direct HHS, the Department of Labor, and the Internal Revenue Service to enforce mental health parity to their full authority in their respective spheres in any states that fall short.
A full fact sheet on the new proposal is available here.
Share
Contributors
