On July 10th, the federal government’s Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC) released a new report analyzing the distribution of autism research dollars in 2010….
ACTION ALERT: Autistic people are being excluded from a California state task force on autism. Sign the human rights petition calling for Autistic representation!
ASAN intern Lydia Brown started a petition against school abuse, which more than 150,000 people signed, after a teacher put an Autistic child in a bag with a drawstring in a school hallway. Lydia Brown was interviewed along with ASAN volunteer Landon Bryce for a national news article.
A New York Times article has documented the systemic overuse of psychotropic medication by New York’s residential service-provision system for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Please take the time to send a message to the State of New York that chemical restraint is never appropriate
Public Comments Needed on Home and Community Based Services. Proposed rules will ensure that Medicaid community living funds go toward keeping people in the community and not in institutions. Your comments will help make this happen.
ACTION ALERT: Stop Extension of Flawed Autism Policy. Congress is considering legislation to extend the Combating Autism Act, which fails to provide for services and was passed without the involvement of self-advocates, for three more years. Contact your Senators today to oppose re-authorization without needed changes!
ACTION ALERT: Stop Dangerous CDC Proposal! A proposal being considered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), would create a new medical diagnosis for “wandering” by people with developmental disabilities. This proposal has no scientific basis and could cause many people to be abused and institutionalized.
Recently, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted H.R. 4247 out of committee with a vote of 35 to 10. Your hard work has certainly made a difference, but we need your continued efforts to advance this important legislation. Specifically, we need your assistance to get the bill moved to the floor for a full House vote and to obtain Co-sponsors for the Senate version, S. 2860.
H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act is going to be marked up by the House Education and Labor Committee this coming Thursday. In order to avoid amendments to the legislation that could potentially weaken the bill’s ability to protect students, it is important we send a clear message to Congress to pass H.R. 4247 and to keep it strong.
