A congressionally-mandated report on the fight against autism released today will help step up the battle against an illness that impacts one of every 110 children in America, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who with Congressman Mike Doyle (PA-14) co-chairs the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research and Education (CARE).

    “Congress needs to maintain focus on this growing epidemic that affects so many of our children and adults,” Smith said. “This review of autism activities over the past four years will help us identify best practices and help identify existing gaps in research and services, so that resources can be allocated in the most prudent and productive manner. Research and the development of  new treatments and services for children and adults with autism must be advanced through coordinated programs and policies. This national report will help to improve the road map for moving forward to help the 1.5 million Americans who suffer from autism.”

    The report describes autism-related research and service activities carried out by the federal government since enactment of the Combating Autism Act four years ago. It was released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Autism Research Coordination at the National Institutes of Health.

    “Congress has a responsibility not only to pass needed legislation, but to follow up with the appropriate review, oversight, and - if necessary - additional legislative action,” said Congressman Doyle.  “This report provides a lot of helpful new information, and we will definitely use those insights in drafting legislation to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act, which Congressman Smith and I are working on and hope to reintroduce very soon.”

    Required by the Combating Autism Act (CAA) of 2006, cosponsored by Smith and Doyle, the report describes federal action undertaken since enactment of the CAA –mostly in the areas of research and services. 

    To read the report, click on: /UploadedFiles/2011_01_06_HHS_report_on_RTC_on_Activities_Related_to_ASD.pdf 

    Smith was the author of the H.R. 274 (which became law in 2000), the Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology Act (Title I, P.L. 106-310) which authorized grants and contracts for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on autism and pervasive developmental disabilities, and established regional centers of excellence in autism surveillance and epidemiology. He was awarded the 2010 Legislator of the Year Award by the National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC), a group that works to provide services for individuals with disabilities. NAPSEC cited Smith’s work on autism issues in naming him the 2010 award recipient.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one out of every 110 children (1 of 70 boys) in the United States has an autism spectrum disorder. Currently, 1.5 million individuals in the US are on the autism spectrum. The range and severity of symptoms of autism vary from case to case, but symptoms often include difficulties in communicating and interacting with other individuals and exhibiting repetitive behaviors and intense interests in specific subjects. The care involved in treating these symptoms often requires hours of intensive therapy every week - regimens that are often inaccessible or unaffordable for many families. With early intervention and concentrated treatment, the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder can be mitigated, enabling individuals with autism and their families to participate more fully in their communities.