Last week, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, along with Representatives Dave Min, Grace Meng, Brian Fitzpatrick, Henry Cuellar, and Don Bacon, introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at supporting families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities.
The bill empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a pilot program through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This program will provide funds and incentives to non-profit organizations, community health centers, and hospitals for training caregivers and family members using evidence-based methods.
“Me enorgullece copatrocinar la Ley de Cuidadores Familiares del Autismo, una legislación bipartidista que brinda apoyo esencial directamente a las familias que más lo necesitan,” stated Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar. “Este programa piloto le da herramientas reales a los cuidadores del Distrito 27 de Florida y de todo el país para que puedan cuidar mejor a sus seres queridos con autismo y otras discapacidades del desarrollo. Cuando los cuidadores están preparados, las familias son más fuertes. Y cuando las familias son fuertes, América también lo es.”
The bill is supported by several organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Autism Speaks, Autism Society, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Chinese American Association for the Autistic Community, Community Inclusion & Development Alliance, Easterseals of Southern California, Easterseals Inc., Family Voices, Korean American Special Education Center, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities and The Arc.
The proposal has co-sponsorship from Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Don Bacon (NE-02), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Lou Correa (CA-46), David Valadao (CA-22), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), John Mannion (NY-22), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Robert Garcia (CA-42).
The full text of the bill can be accessed here.
