INTERVENTIONS AT RISK

Autism and Other DD Interventions at Risk

Take Action!

Help Make Sure that the Combating Autism Act gets Reauthorized

Time is Running Out.  The Combating Autism Act (CAA) will expire at the end of this month.   If it is not reauthorized before then, people with Autism and other developmental disabilities stand to lose appropriate diagnostic, early intervention, and support services.

What Does the CAA Do?  It provides funding to educate professionals about proper screening, diagnosis, and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.  It also funds autism research and surveillance.  The

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program is just one of the things that the CAA supports.  Click here to learn more.

What is Happening in Congress?  The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act (CARA –H.R. 2005) is facing two serious obstacles in the U.S. House of Representatives.

1) We understand that the House majority  leadership is holding up action on this and other “disease or condition specific” legislation

2) Some members believe that the CAA does not need to be reauthorized in order for activities authorized under the law to continue.  This is NOT the case!  In fact, some CAA programs have clear sunsets, and in this difficult budget climate, it could be almost impossible for federal agencies to fund the CAA’s programs on their own.

Take Action:

Call your Representative today.  Urge him/her to cosponsor H.R. 2005 (if he/she has not already done so – click here for current list of co-sponsors) and ask him/her to urge the House leadership to schedule a vote on it.

If you have a representative who is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, it is especially important that you educate him/her about H.R. 2005 and urge him/her to schedule action on this bill soon.

Click on the “Take Action” link above to obtain your Representative’s telephone number in Washington.

What to Say:

•    Hello.  I am a constituent.

•    May I please speak to the person working on health or disability issues?

•    I am calling about the urgent need to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act (HR 2005).

•    This law funds training for thousands of professionals to screen, diagnose, and treat individuals with a broad range of developmental disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, spina bifida, intellectual disabilities and epilepsy.

•    If the law is not reauthorized, many of the activities authorized under it would expire due to the September 30, 2011 sunset provision.

•    I would like to request: 1) that Representative _________ cosponsor HR 2005 (if he/she has not already done so) and 2) that Representative _________ urge the House leadership to schedule a vote on HR 2005 well before the Sept 30 sunset date.