Presented by Kim Musheno

1. Federal Legislative Update
CAAI Meeting

2. Combating Autism Act
Authorizes $210 million in FY2010:
143.5 for NIH research into causes, diagnosis, early
detection, intervention, and treatment
$19.5 million for the CDC’s Disabilities Surveillance
and Research Program
$47 million to HRSA to increase awareness, reduce
barriers to screening and diagnosis, promote evidence-
based interventions for individuals with autism, and train
professionals to utilize valid and reliable screening tools
to diagnose autism and provide evidence-based
interventions
For LENDS - $28.2 or +$2 million expected
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3. FY 2010 Appropriations
House passed 12 bills; Senate passed 3
Continuing resolution at FY 09 levels
Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations
bill passed by House but not full Senate
Likely to be included in omnibus – split
difference between H&S bills
Hope to have bill by end December!
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4. Combating Autism Act
(PL 109-416) Signed De. 16, 2006
The law authorized expansion of
interdisciplinary training to increase number
of sites able to diagnose or rule out ASD or
other DD; and
To expand existing or develop new
maternal and child health interdisciplinary
leadership in neurodevelopmental and
related disability programs in States that do
not have such a program 4

5. Now 39 LENDs in 33 states
FY 2008 four new LENDs in Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, and Illinois and awarding 18
supplemental grants to existing LENDs
FY 2009 increase of $2 million provided partial
expansion to 17 LENDs that had not received
the previous year’s expansion dollars and to
establish one more LEND in the state of
Minnesota.
FY2010 appropriations will provide $2 million to
establish up to two new LENDs and to complete
the award of supplemental grants for existing
programs. 5

6. CAA Reauthorization
CAA expires in 2011 and must be
reauthorized
Each section contains sunset provision
Discussions likely to begin next year….
After health care reform
Start educating your members on the
Senate HELP and House Energy and
Commerce Committees
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7. Health Care
Reform
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8. What’s Happening?
House passed HR 3962 Nov. 7 on vote of
220 – 215 with one GOP
Senate in second week of debate
Major outstanding issues are public option,
abortion, and cost of the bill
Hope to have Senate bill by Christmas
Must then conference the bill and pass
final bill by both chambers
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9. Health reform critical provisions
Exchange or market place for people
without insurance to shop for plans
Expansion of Medicaid to households
earning less than 133-150% FPL
Cannot deny coverage based on pre-
existing conditions
Elimination of annual and lifetime caps
Employer mandates
Individual mandate and subsidies 9

10. Critical provisions
Rep. Doyle (PA) and Sen. Menendez (NJ)
Minimum services includes “mental health
and substance use disorder services,
including behavioral health treatment.”
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11. Autism training grants
Authorizes grants to UCEDDs or other
interdisciplinary education, research, and
service entities
To provide training, continuing education, TA,
and information to improve services and address
unmet needs of ASD and related DD
Authorizes establishment of up to 4 new
UCEDDs to improve services to individuals with
ASD with priority to minority serving institutions

12. Long term services in health
reform
Community Living Assistance Services
and Supports (CLASS) Act
Community First Choice Option (Sec. 101
of the Community Choice Act)
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13. CLASS Act
National LTSS Insurance program
For working individuals (18 and up)
Auto-enrollment through employer with
opt-out
Self-funded and reduces deficit and
Medicaid spending
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14. CLASS Act
Participants vested after 5 years
Estimated monthly premium $125/mo.
Eligibility for cash payments (average
$75/day) based on needing assistance to
perform at least 2 activities of daily living
ADL = eating, toileting, transferring, bathing,
dressing, continence
To purchase non-medical services and
supports to maintain independence
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15. Community First Choice (CFC)
Core elements of the Community Choice
Act (Section 101 of S. 683/HR 1670)
Medicaid State Plan option (not mandate)
To provide community-based attendant
services and supports
Individuals eligible for nursing homes and
other institutional settings
6% enhanced FMAP for states that select
the CFC option
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16. Autism Treatment Acceleration Act
S. 819 introduced by Sen. Durbin, Casey
(D-PA), and Menendez (D-NJ) on April 2
H.R. 2413 introduced by Mike Doyle (D-PA)
and Chris Smith (R-NJ) on May 14
Comprehensive services bill that focuses
on services across lifespan, not just
children
Combines elements of Sens. Clinton and
Obama/Durbin bills from last Congress

17. Acceleration Act
Main elements
Demonstration project to develop comprehensive,
coordinated autism services
Demonstration grants to develop adult services
Voluntary population-based registry
Provision to strengthen existing national, regional, and
local networks
National training initiatives to provide interdisciplinary
training, continuing education initiatives, and technical
assistance
Requires that health insurers cover the diagnosis and
treatment of ASD, including ABA, assistive
communication and assistive technology devices
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18. Seclusion and Restraints
Jan. 2009 NDRN Report outlines the problem
GAO Report requested by Chairman Miller
Less than half of states have laws or regulations
concerning restraint or seclusion use in schools;
almost (90%) still allow prone restraints, and
only 45% require or recommend that schools
notify parents
Most cases identified involved kids with
disabilities and majority diagnosed with autism
Federal law (Children’s Health Act) only pertains
to public facilities, not schools 18

19. AUCD Recommendations
Federal legislation to ban use of seclusion
and prone restraints and other types of
restraints except in case of immediate
physical safety of students or staff
Mandate development comprehensive
continuum of positive behavior supports
and interventions in every school
Authorize funding for UCEDDs to provide
training and TA 19

20. Next Steps
Chairman Miller (D-CA) and Rep.
McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) of House
Education and Labor Committee will
introduce bill this Wednesday
Sen. Dodd (D-CT) working with House to
draft bipartisan, bicameral legislation
Need Republican co-sponsor in Senate
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21. Other Legislation Coming Up
After health care reform….
WIA Reauthorization
DD Act Reauthorization
NCLB Reauthorization
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22. Resources
AUCD: http://www.aucd.org
Public policy/Autism
Legislative News In Brief
Action Center:
http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
Autism Task Force: http://www.c-c-d.org
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