OVERLAND PARK, KS (April 16, 2014) — Governor Sam Brownback today signed legislation expanding autism insurance coverage beyond the state employee health benefit program, culminating a six-year campaign to enact more meaningful reform in Kansas. Enactment of the law also made Kansas the 10th state to amend its original autism insurance law to make it stronger.

“Autism Speaks applauds Governor Brownback’s support of the autism community,” said Mike Wasmer, a Kansas resident who serves as Autism Speaks’ director of state government affairs.  “This bill is an important step toward providing access to medically necessary treatment for all individuals with autism in Kansas.”

Sponsored by Rep. John Rubin (R-Shawnee), the new law, HB.2744, will require state-regulated large group and “grandfathered” small group individual health plans to cover medically necessary treatments, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), for autism for children up to age 12.

The bill as initially proposed by the House Insurance Committee would have limited ABA coverage to 10 hours per week, but was raised after vigorous opposition from the state’s autism community. As enacted, the new law allows for 25 hours per week of ABA for four years from the time of diagnosis and then reduces to 10 hours per week.

The new law is spearate from the state’s 2010 autism insurance reform law which applies only to state employees. The 2010 legislation when introduced would have covered the private market, but was amended into a pilot program limited to state employees to gauge the impact on health care costs. When the 2010 law was enacted, Wasmer, then president of the Kansas Coalition for Autism Legislation (KCAL), said, “This is not the end, but rather the start of getting autism treatment to all in need in the state of Kansas.”

After being judged a success, the program was made permanent for state employees, but Kansas lawmakers continued to resist efforts to expand the coverage to the private market. In 2012, efforts to force a bill out of a committee fell one vote shy of success.

After Rubin introduced a bill this year that would have provided broader coverage, the insurance lobby filed a second version with much more restrictive terms and would have cut back existing benefits for state workers. After heated opposition from the state’s autism community, HB.2744 was introduced as a compromise measure.

Wasmer said the new law marks a step forward, but that efforts will continue to provide the best coverage for the most children. The existing state employee autism benefit will continue unaffected by the  new law.

The original article can be found on the Autism Speaks website at the link below:

Indiana University has compiled a list of Autism Society of America chapters and additional support groups across Indiana for parents of children across the autism spectrum. This information is provided to help those families trying to locate a group for support. The support groups listed may or may not provide you and your family with the specific kind of support you are seeking. Please call the contact person directly to find out about the specific focus of the support group, and to find out about meeting places and schedules. Certain groups have mailing lists, email listservs, or blogs you can ask about when you call.

See the link below for a list of area support groups by city.

SALT LAKE CITY (April 3, 2014) — — Gov. Gary Herbert today signed legislation making Utah the 35th state to enact autism insurance reform. Utah has one of the nation’s highest rates of prevalence for autism at 1 in 54, or about 2 percent of the state population.

Sen. Brian Shiozawa (at the podium) and Governor Herbert

Sponsored by Sen. Brian Shiozowa, the bill (SB.57) was fiercely opposed by the insurance industry. The enactment of the law culminated six years of effort by the Utah Autism Coalition, providers and families to end insurance company discrimination against people with autism.

“Autism Speaks commends Senator Brian Shiozawa for his leadership in delivering for the Utah autism community,” said Mike Wasmer, Autism Speaks’ associate director of state government affairs. “The Utah Autism Coalition has fought hard to make this day happen and we were proud to be their partner.”

The law requires many state-regulated health plans to cover speech, occupational and physical therapy, psychological and psychiatric care, and behavioral health treatments, including applied behavior analysis (ABA).

The original article was posted on Autism Speaks website here https://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/35-utah-enacts-autism-insurance-reform

Is your toddler repetitive?
Could be Autism. Study warns.
April 2014- The Journal of Child Psychiatry and Psychology published a new paper that will make each parent sit up and observe their child’s behavior. The study, published by lead researcher Joseph Piven, found that children demonstrating repetitive behaviors like flapping hands, spinning, etc. by their first birthday are four times more likely to have autism than
children who don’t do such repetitive actions. The study adds weight to the theory that repetitive behaviors might be a red flag for Autism that all parents should watch out for. The study, conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, sends mixed signals, as repetitive actions like babbling syllables and wiggling arms are often the
first developmental milestones that children show. Distinguishing them from behaviors that point towards Autism might need sharper observation and definitely more research.

Want to read more? To view the entire April 2014 edition of The Lighthouse Beacon click here.

The nonprofit behind Big Bird, Elmo and Abby Cadabby is launching a new effort to reduce stigma surrounding kids with autism and help those with the developmental disorder learn life skills.

Through a new initiative dubbed “See Amazing in All Children,” Sesame Workshop said it will create digital tools to help children with autism learn to play with others and complete everyday activities like brushing teeth, getting dressed and trying new foods.

In addition, the organization said it will use Sesame Street’s brand and characters to educate the public about autism and emphasize that kids on the spectrum are much like their typically developing peers.

“This has become one of the most widely-discussed topics in childhood development, yet we have found that there’s a lack of understanding among the general public about children with autism,” said Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame Workshop’s senior vice president for community and family engagement. “Sesame Workshop has a long history of addressing diversity, acceptance and inclusion, and we felt we could play a critical role in reducing misconceptions by highlighting the commonalities children with autism share with all children.”

Beyond its efforts aimed at children, Sesame Workshop said it also plans to work with Exceptional Minds, a Sherman Oaks, Calif. vocational center that teaches young adults with autism computer animation and post-production skills, to help create content.

The original article was published here on Disability Scoop:  https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/04/sesame-street-autism/19257/