Hillary Unveils Autism Initiative in Iowa

Showing her unwavering commitment to improving health care issues, Hillary Clinton revealed her new initiative for the treatment of autism at a town hall meeting in Sioux City, Iowa last Tuesday.

In 2010, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 68 children in the United States was identified as having Autism spectrum disorder which affects the way children learn, behave, communicate and interact with others. Hillary’s autism initiative will provide federal resources to help the more 3.5 million Americans who fall on the autism spectrum.

According to Time Hillary stated:

As a country, we must make a priority of supporting the millions of Americans with autism, and their loved ones. Too many American families are staying up at night worrying about their family members, especially children, who are living with autism. There is more we can do.

Clinton’s far-reaching autism initiative outlined a comprehensive approach to help families dealing with autism:

• Conduct a nationwide early screening outreach campaign to ensure that all children, and, in particular, children from underserved backgrounds, are screened for autism.
• Push states to require health insurance coverage for autism services in private insurance plans as well as marketplace plans offered in the state so that people with autism are not turned away.
• Launch the Autism Works Initiative to extend new resources and establish public-private partnerships that will connect people with autism with employment opportunities.
• Authorize the first-ever adult autism prevalence study in the U.S. so that we improve our understanding of how to identify, serve, and support adults on the autism spectrum.

Boosting screening and awareness of autism, improving treatment and insurance coverage, and providing community support and programs for adults are the core of this initiative. People with autism have difficulties in accessing meaningful employment, achieving equal income, and access to opportunity. Hillary’s autistic plan provides well-defined entry points for these opportunities. Realizing the emotional and the physical hardships in caring for autistic people, Hillary wants to create a tax credit for caretakers as part of her efforts to help the families.

Hillary is the first presidential candidate to propose such an initiative. Jennifer Herrington, a mental health and social worker from southwest Iowa, fought unsuccessfully against the decision by Iowa Governor Gov. Terry Branstad to close two mental health facilities in the state. Early in Hillary’s campaign, Jennifer expressed to Hillary the dire need to address mental health issues in the Iowa. CBS news quoted Jennifer saying,

When she said that she spent the first few months of the campaign really listening to the Iowans, that is so true, that is not just rhetoric. With her campaign, mental health is finally getting the attention that it deserves.

U.S. Senator Bob Casey, the co-chairman of the Congressional Autism Caucus, commented:

One of the best proposals that any of us will see on any topic during the presidential campaign is the one Hillary Clinton has laid out for individuals with autism and their families.

Hillary Clinton holds a long record of advocating for children and families affected by autism. As far back in 2007, she described autism as “one of the most urgent and least understood challenges facing our children.” As a former First Lady and Senator, she fought hard for awareness and funding of autism-related programs, including research, education, early detection, and intervention.

If American wants a true champion of health reforms then Hillary Clinton deserves to be in the White House.