Direct Support Professional Wage Bill (H
June 16, 2014
Senator Robert MenendezSenator Mike Enzi
528 Hart Senate Office Building379A Senate Russell Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510Washington, D.C. 20510
Via e-mail
Re: Combating Autism Act, S. 2449
Dear Senators Menendez and Enzi,
The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) writes today to express our strong support for the reauthorization of the Combating Autism Act, S. 2449, and to thank you for your leadership in sponsoring this important legislation.
ANCOR is a nonprofit association representing and advocating on behalf of the more than 800 private providers of services and supports for nearly 500,000 Americans of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities – including autism. Our members employ over 400,000 direct support staff in 49 states and Washington, and provide an array of community living and employments supports and services—including self-directed services and supports. Our mission is to inform, educate and network service providers to safeguard, develop, grow and extend their capacity to support the choices of people with disabilities.
As the leading national provider association of long term supports and services, we are greatly encouraged by the passage of state insurance laws mandating coverage for autism therapies. However, the insurance mandates are limited in scope, and our experience bears out the ongoing necessity of long term supports and services, which commercial insurance does not cover. That is why we strongly support the provision in the legislation that directs HHS to prepare a report to Congress regarding the needs of young adults and transitioning youth with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disability, and the challenges they face transitioning from school-based services to adult services.
As, you know, the law has helped to expand research and coordination at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), increased public awareness and surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), and expanded the interdisciplinary and inter-professional training of health
professionals to identify and support children and youth with ASD and their families through
programs of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). We support those provisions, as well as the following amendments in addition to the HHS directive mentioned above:
- Renames the law to Autism CARES (the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act).
- Establishes the National Autism Spectrum Disorder Initiative, requiring the HHS Secretary to designate an existing HHS official to serve as the key point person in coordinating federal autism efforts and ensuring that these efforts are not unnecessarily duplicative.
- Reforms the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) by expanding its role in monitoring and developing a strategic plan for autism spectrum disorder, and by requiring additional non-federal members, including at least two individuals on the autism spectrum, at least two parents or legal guardians of individuals on the autism spectrum, and at least two representatives of leading research, service, and advocacy organizations.
ANCOR supports this compromise bill and urges the House and Senate to move the bill forward
quickly and not let this law expire.
Sincerely,
Barbara Merrill
Vice President of Public Policy