Episode #051 - The Reauthorization of the Autism CARES Act Autism Confidential

This episode features Alison Singer, president of Autism Science Foundation, and Craig Snyder of IKON Consulting, discussing why the Autism CARES Act should be reformed before it is re-authorized. This federal legislation sunsets on September 30, 2024 and efforts are underway to continue it with another budget authorization. But the CARES Act has glaring shortcomings: it has turned away from the most important questions in autism; it has sidelined the most severely affected part of the autism population; it serves the needs of entrenched interests rather than the urgent needs of the American people.

Please listen to Alison and Craig discuss:

• The history of the act, which started as The Combating Autism Act

• The problems with the IACC, the Interagency Coordinating Committee created by the Act

• The failure of the CARES Act to effect meaningful change, all while autism rates continue to climb and supports and services become more difficult to obtain

• How the CARES Act should explicitly require efforts to address profound autism; why the NIH needs an Office of Autism Research, not an IACC

What our community can do to help reform the CARES Act, and more

Link:NCSA Letter re CARES Act Reauthorization. Includes link to ASF white paper: https://www.ncsautism.org/blog//ncsa-submits-concerns-about-the-autism-cares-act-reauthorization-now-is-the-time-for-bold-action