Government Watch

COSAC Needs Your Input For Next Legislation Session


Comments on COSAC’s Legislative Priorities for 2008-2009

Thank you for the great feedback we have received thus far from our Legislative Priorities survey!   Please review the following responses. If you have not filled out a survey, please do so. Thank you for your time and interest.

Results as of 2/14/2008:
Public Safety for People with ASDs
14
State Budget
28
Employment/Supported Employment Services
12
Special Education
24
Healthcare
19
Prescription Medicine
2
Insurance Coverage for Medically Necessary Services
19
Housing for People with ASDs
9
Civil Rights for People with ASDs
9
Transportation
7
Transition Services
17
Regulation of Service Providers
5
Autism Research
9
Medicaid
5
Assistive Technology
4


Other Priorities and Additional Comments:

•       Legal system representatives and laws that protect the rights of children with ASDs regarding visitation and custody rights
•       Respite care
•       Inconsistency of services provided on a statewide level
•       Burden of proof being on the school instead of the parents in due process issues in regard to education
•       Recreation for young adults and teens (More than one request specific to this issue)
•       Testing for adults diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder
•       Insurance coverage for ABA, speech, OT, and other therapies and interventions (More than one request specific to this issue)
•       All issues associated with adult residential placement and how to get the money to fund the growing housing/supervisory needs (More than one request specific to this issue)
•       Children with autism in the Division of Youth and Family Services and the foster care system (More than one request specific to this issue)
•       Safety of children and adults with autism
•       Fingerprinting children and adults with autism so police can better identify them if they behave inappropriately
•       A program designed for families that are new to the autism world, as it is very overwhelming with doctors, schools, etc.
•       Civil rights for individuals with autism
•       More information about what school systems are required to provide to children with ASDs; better standards across school districts in their policies and procedures (More than one request specific to this issue)
•       Opportunities for transitioning teens, young adults and mature adults after school life ends
•       Education of pediatricians, emergency rooms doctors and nurses and other medical staff about ASDs
•       Continuing educational opportunities for adults with ASDs; post-secondary opportunities and classes at community colleges; increased opportunities to interact with non-disabled peers
•       Job opportunities building independence for individuals with ASDs to generate their own income and less dependency on state funding and services
•       Social Security and individuals with ASDs
•       Thorough integration of ASDs in general education: PECS, ABA, Para-professionals, etc.
•       Adequate funding for children with ASDs in early intervention without increasing cost to families
•       Problem with prescription coverage (for example issues with MAAP)
•       Transportation problems (for example with Access Link)