By Asbury Park Press reporter Carol Gorga Williams -- U.S. Rep. Chris H Smith, R-NJ, long an advocate for study and services for the state's surging autism population, this afternoon pledged before parents and other advocates to make every effort to see that autism funding, set to expire this year, will be re-authorized.

On the eve of World Autism Day — and surrounded by other parents of children with autism at Search Day Academy in Ocean Township, Smith recalled those early days when he lobbied for awareness and funding.

In 1980, Smith recalled, the prevalence rate of childhood autism was 3 out of every 10,000. Now, it is one out of every 68.

In New Jersey, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 45 children has Autism Spectrum Disorder, the highest rate in the country.

Smith is the author of the Combatting Autism Reauthorization ACT, which in 2011 provided $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program; $48 million for autism education, early detection and intervention and $161 million for hundreds of research grants at the National Institutes of Health and for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

Smith said he only recently was in Japan, where autism is a growing issue, and Nigeria, where children receive virtually no treatment.

“This is a global pandemic,” he said.

Originally published by the Asbury Park Press at: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014304010044