Schumer Visits World Class Autism Center, Pushes for New Federal Research Dollars

SCHUMER VISITS WORLD CLASS AUTISM CENTER, PUSHES FOR NEW FEDERAL RESEARCH DOLLARS

Schumer Announces New Push For Bipartisan Combating Autism Act, Which Would Provide $860 Million In New Funding

Senator, Joined by Leading Autism Researchers and Families Afflicted By Disease, To Push for Immediate Passage of Legislation Funding Research, Education

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer toured the Discovery Health Center in Sullivan County, a world-class facility for autism education, services and research and announced a new push for passing the Combating Autism Act, which would authorize $860 million over five years to increasing and coordinating federal research and education about autism. Nationwide, autism has a tremendous impact on children and the lives of their families, with the rate of autism growing to 1 out of every 166 children now being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

"Autism is a nationwide epidemic that has lived in the shadows for too long," Schumer said. "The Discovery Health Center and facilities like it across the country help thousands of children and their families every year deal with the devastating effects of autism, but they need more help. Our bill would not only provide these centers with critical funding to help families affected by autism receive counseling and education, but also give public and private researchers the tools they need to find a cure for this terrible disease."

The Center for Discovery is the largest employer in Sullivan County, with over 1000 staff members employed.
The Center is constructing a $30 million autism school that will employ an additional 1000 people and provide housing and education for autistic children and their families. In New York State, there are not enough services for kids with special needs. 1700 kids a year are placed at facilities outside New York State, at a cost of $2 million to $3 million a year. The majority of kids at Center For Discovery come from Long Island, NYC, Westchester.

Studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention suggest that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders has significantly increased, from approximately four in 10,000 in the early 1990s to as many as one in every 166 births today. Despite strikingly high prevalence, autism research remains one of the lowest funded areas of medical research by both public and private sources. Currently, the causes of autism are unknown and there are no specific medical treatments or cure. Physicians have no blood test or diagnostic scan that can definitively diagnose the disorder.

The Combating Autism Act creates a national education program for doctors and the public about autism, provides grants for statewide autism screening, creates new NIH centers of excellence for research on autism, and creates a nationwide data clearinghouse. Additionally, the bill increases the collaboration of individuals and groups who are working on autism, extends the activities of the Autism Coordinating Committee that brings together the efforts of various federal agencies, and requires the NIH to create a strategic plan to combat autism.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2006/PR177.Autism%20Center.052606.html