Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Access to Evidence-Based Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders


Franziska Racker Centers'
Autism Lending Library

April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2 was World Autism Awareness Day.  Autism is a rich and complex topic, and very political.  Among families, communities and bureaucracies, emotions run high when it comes to autism.  What I’ve done is select a few topics that I think are interesting and that will hopefully leave you with more information than when you started.

Please note, I will use the abbreviation “ASD” to refer to all autism spectrum disorders.  When I say “evidence-based interventions,” I am referring to the methods and principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ABA is what we use in the Partnership Program at the Racker Centers.  ABA-based interventions are so effective that they have been endorsed by leading federal and state agencies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the New York State Department of Health, and the United States Surgeon General. For more information about ABA, here is a helpful website: www.asatonline.org/intervention/procedures_desc.htm.


I. Access to Evidence-Based Interventions

Throughout the country and throughout Central New York, a family is lucky if they live in a region that offers evidence-based interventions for their loved one with ASD.  Historically, it is the luck of the draw.  That is beginning to change.  There are at least three reputable companies that have created online resources to solve this problem of geography.  As long as you have a computer with an internet connection, you can live anywhere and have access to great user-friendly tools.  Here are the three companies:

1.   Rethink Autism:                                               

2.   Autism Training Solutions:                                

3.   Center for Autism and Related Disorders:         
b. http://skillsglobal.com

All three companies provide you with: 1) Training in how to use evidence-based techniques to teach meaningful skills to individuals with ASD; and 2) A comprehensive assessment, curriculum, and progress-tracking system.  Each company charges a subscription fee and offers a free trial.  You can use the free trials to compare them.

We at the Partnership Program have begun using these tools to streamline staff training and enrich our work with students, families and service providers.  I encourage you to check them out.  In my experience, all three companies have good customer service if and when you contact them.  Let me know what you think!


II. Autism Insurance Reform in New York State

As of 2011, 24 states require private health insurance companies to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of ASDs.  One of these states is Minnesota, where the ASD insurance law has been in effect for nearly ten years.  

New York, on the other hand, is not one of the 24 states.  Autism Speaks (www.autismspeaks.org) is fighting for autism insurance reform in New York.  In mid-March, a bill was introduced into the New York State Legislature - Senate Bill 4005 and Assembly Bill 6305 - seeking to effectively end what Autism Speaks is calling “autism insurance discrimination.”  This legislation is important for all New Yorkers with ASDs. 

“There are tens of thousands of New York families – families with otherwise perfectly good health insurance – who are paying huge amounts out-of-pocket to provide their loved ones with the therapies they need and deserve,” said Peter Bell, Autism Speaks Executive Vice President of Programs and Services.

The ASD bill has been revised from 2010 and seeks the following:

·        Requires private health insurance companies to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of ASDs including behavioral health treatment (including applied behavior analysis), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, therapeutic care (speech and occupational therapy) and any medical care provided by a licensed physician.

·        Provides coverage for physical health problems that frequently occur with autism, such as sleep abnormalities, seizures and gastrointestinal problems.

·        The bill has no age caps or dollar caps on these benefits.

·        Does not affect any obligation to provide services to an individual under an individualized family service plan (IFSP), an individualized education program (IEP), or an individualized services plan (ISP). The purpose of this legislation is to require insurance coverage for services provided on a supplemental basis outside of an educational setting for services that are deemed medically necessary.

·        Would prohibit an insurance company from terminating coverage or refusing to renew, adjust, amend, issue, or execute a policy solely because the individual has been diagnosed or received treatment for an ASD.


Autism Speaks needs your commitment and support to help the bill become law.  They will need you to call your legislators and eventually the Governor. Autism Speaks believes that 2011 will be a great year to achieve autism insurance reform in New York.

Here is how you can help:

1) SPREAD THE WORD!  Let everyone know that this legislation has been introduced, and ask your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family who live in New York State to be sure they are signed up at www.autismvotes.org to receive regular updates and calls to action.

2) POST THIS ON YOUR FACEBOOK/TWITTER ACCOUNTS:
 "ATTN New York Friends and Family! A bill was just introduced in the state of New York that when enacted into law will provide individuals with autism with access to appropriate treatment and therapies.  Please help pass this bill into law by signing up at www.autismvotes.org to receive calls to action."


Families need options.  Working together, Autism Speaks hopes we can achieve autism insurance reform in the state of New York this year.



Dr. Karen Fried and Nick at 2010 walk for Autism Speaks

Written by Karen Fried, Psy.D., BCBA
Licensed Psychologist
Director of Autism Services