ASSEMBLY PANEL RELEASES SECOND PHASE OF LANDMARK AUTISM SUPPORT MEASURES

Measures Would Assist With Independent Living for Adults with Autism; 
Create Office for Autism Services; Establish Emergency ID Card for Autistic Residents

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee today released a second phase of legislation aimed at enhancing support for autistic adults, streamlining autism-related services, and improving the delivery of health care for New Jersey's autistic residents.

The six-bill package - spearheaded by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D-Camden), Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen), and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) - seeks to build on the foundation the Assembly laid last year with the enactment of seven new laws that have made New Jersey a national leader in promoting autism awareness.

"New Jersey is forging ahead by taking a multidimensional approach to tackle some of the most significant challenges facing individuals with autism and their families," said Roberts (D-Camden).  "We cannot legislate a cure for autism, but we can and must ensure that those suffering from this puzzling disorder and their families are not pushed to the margins."

New Jersey has the nation's highest reported rates of autism according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - one of out of every 94 children.  The national rate is one out of 150 children.

"Finding a cause and cure for autism has baffled scientists and doctors for years, and navigating the myriad services and offices that aim to help autistic individuals has proven equally baffling for too many families," said Voss (D-Bergen), whose son suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. "New Jerseyans living with autism and their families should never feel as if they are facing this disorder alone." 

The lawmakers said it is crucial that the state take a comprehensive approach that includes both autistic adults and children, especially since the swelling numbers of children diagnosed with autism since 1991 will begin aging out of the education system over the next several years.

"With the nation's highest rates of children with autism, New Jersey also will find itself home to the nation's highest rates of autistic adults," said Prieto. "Autism has reached epidemic proportions in New Jersey.  This condition holds victims in its grip for their entire lives. We need to ensure that they have help every step of the way to meet the urgent challenges of housing, medical care and vocational training."

The measures released by the committee would:

• Require health insurers to cover certain autism-related therapies and treatment, known as applied behavioral analysis (A-2238, released 7-0-3), sponsored by Prieto, Roberts, and Voss;
• Establish a new office to handle autism-related issues in the Department of the Public advocate to pair families with services (A-2256, released 7-1-2), sponsored by Voss, Prieto, Roberts and Gary Schaer (D-Bergen) ;
• Require the department of Health and Senior Services to create a one-stop shop autism Web site to make it easier for families in-need of assistance (A-2257, released 9-0-1), sponsored by Schaer, Roberts, Vas and John F. McKeon (D-Essex);
• Create a special identification card in the case of emergencies for autistic residents who may speak or who have trouble communicating (A-2258, released 10-0), sponsored by Connie Wagner (D-Bergen), Voss, Prieto and Roberts;
• Support choice in housing by supporting autistic adults who have aged out of the juvenile system living independently with assistance (A-2259, released 10-0), sponsored by Voss, Schaer, Wagner and Roberts;
• Urge the establishment of new peer-programs to partner students and autistic classmates to foster social interaction among all students in middle and high school (AR-105, released 10-0), sponsored by McKeon, Wagner, Roberts and Schaer.

The cause of autism remains unknown.  It is a disorder that impairs the central nervous system, compromising an individual's ability to listen, speak, and form social relationships.  The condition often is marked with highly focused, repetitive behavior.

Speaker Roberts crafted the initial autism package last year in response to The Record of Hackensack's six-day series called "In Autism's Grip" that cited the state's high autism incidence rates and the plight of families affected by autism.

"This second phase of measures will ensure that New Jersey is approaching autism in a holistic, comprehensive way," said Speaker Roberts.  "Autistic residents have a right to effective treatment."

The lawmakers said that the immediate investment in autism services would lower the long-term costs of providing health care to autistic residents.  

"It's time that we centralize autism resources and services to ensure that the families and individuals who are in desperate need of these programs know where to find help," said Voss.  "Autism resources have the potential to radically improve the quality of life for New Jerseyans with autism and their loved ones."

The bills now may be voted on by the full Assembly, with the exception of A-2238 which has been referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further review.

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