Governor declares April as Autism Awareness Month
Gov. Martin O'Malley has proclaimed April as Autism Awareness Month in response to the "alarming" increase in the diagnosis of austism spectrum disorders.
Maryland has seen a 57 percent increase in the number of autism-related diagnoses from 2002-2006.
"A growing number of Maryland families need the research, intervention and continuous care to properly deal with an autism-related diagnosis," said O'Malley, in a statement. "We want to understand the state-of-the-art in autism programs so we can provide the highest level of assistance possible to every Maryland child and adult with this unique need."
In response, state legislators passed a bill last year to form the the Maryland Commission on Austism. The panel is chaired by health and education officials and is working on a comprehensive statewide austism plan. The next meeting is late April but there will be fact-finding session in different regions of the state. A preliminary report is due June 1, 2011, and a final report is due a year later.
For information on the commission's work and meetings, click here.
Comments
How about expanding the Autism Waiver? This program is successful, but provides a limited number of slots. This means that the waiting list was about a decade the last time I looked.
It's a travesty.
Posted by: a parent | April 2, 2010 11:27 AM
Here's a link to a research study going on in MD and other states: www.earlistudy.org
Posted by: Michelle Landrum | April 2, 2010 3:12 PM