8 Autism Bills in California

I grew up in California and almost all of my family still lives there, and Jim and I have talked very seriously about possibly moving out west when Charlie is an adult. My dad has lived in Oakland for all but a few years of his life and has long said exasperated things about the city’s politics and politicos (and don’t get him started on Berkeley’s). On hearing about a package of eight autism bills introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, my dad (who is, by the way, a really really nice guy) said that he might have to change his mind about this particular politician. (Might.)

The April 3rd Sacramento Bee reports on the eight autism bills:

1. SB 527 directs California’s Department of Developmental Services to establish a pilot project to find best practices for early “identifying, assessing and treating” children with autism.
2. SB 1475 seeks to improve coordination of transitional services between regional centers and school districts for autistic children aged birth to five years old.
3. SB 1563 directs two state agencies, the Department of Managed Care and the Department of Insurance, “to work to ensure that health plans and insurers provide equitable coverage for autism and other developmental disabilities.”
4. AB 1872 establishes a state clearinghouse for the education of autistic students.
5. AB 2302 allows teachers with “certain special education credentials” to be able to teach children with autism.
6. SB 1175 seeks to expand independent living opportunities for autistic adults.
7. SB 1531 calls for training for police officers and law enforcement personnel about autism.
8. SB 1364, would (as noted in the San Jose Mercury News) would “declare that ASD is a public health care crisis in California and direct the Department of Public Health to make services more available to underserved communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a national public health care crisis.”

Somewhat in the tone of SB 1364, the Sacramento Bee refers to autism as a “malady” and to the “spread of autism,” both phrasings that seem—incorrectly—to suggest that autism is some like an infectious disease that is growing. Autism is not something that you can (like the measles) catch. And while it might seem that the numbers of autistic persons has grown tremendously in recent years, it is important to note that there are more autistic adults out there than might be thought, and that have an actual autism diagnosis.

A package of autism bills was passed in September of 2007 here in New Jersey where I currently live; one the bills established a task force on adults with autism. Of those appointed to the task force on April 2nd by New Jersey’s Governor Jon S. Corzine, was Ari Ne’eman, the President of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. It would certainly mean a great deal to me if California also had a task force on issues pertaining to adults with autism, as Charlie will be an adult if and by the time we might live in California—and there is a lot to consider and plan ahead for. My dad (and an aunt and a cousin or two) are keeping track.