House Passes Autism CARES and Lifespan Respite Acts – Bills Move to Senate

We are sharing this article by Disability Scoop because ANCOR supports the Autism CARES Act and the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act. The Autism CARES Act funds autism and research programs. ANCOR led advocacy for more representation of adults with autism on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), and additional focus on services across the lifespan in the current bill to reauthorize the Autism CARES Act. The Lifespan Respite Act would provide additional funding for respite care services across the country.

As written in the article:

“Federal legislation allocating over $1.8 billion in government spending on autism efforts is one step closer to being approved.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support, or Autism CARES, Act, by a voice vote Wednesday.

The legislation, H.R. 1058, would renew a federal law that originated in 2006 and ensures support for research, prevalence tracking, screening, professional training and other government activities related to autism.

As it stands, the current version of the Autism CARES Act is set to expire at the end of September, meaning that without action from Congress, programs established through the act will come to a halt.

[…]

One key change in the renewal legislation is its extra focus on the needs of individuals with autism in all age groups. The phrase “across the lifespan” has been added to several provisions in the bill including sections talking about screening and research on interventions.

Additionally, the measure would increase the number of self-advocates, parents and autism group representatives on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, a federal autism advisory panel, from two to three each. And, it would require officials from the Departments of Labor, Justice, Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development to join the committee.

[…]

Besides the Autism CARES Act, the House also approved a renewal of the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, H.R. 2035, by a voice vote this week. That bill would provide $200 million over five years to improve respite care services across the country.”