By Lateefah S. Williams, Esq.
People with autism and their families have been pushing Congress to pass the Autism
CARES Act of 2024. That’s why December 16, 2024 was such a special day. That’s the
day that Congress passed the Autism Cares Act and sent it to President Biden’s desk
for his signature. Many autism-focused, grassroots organizations played an integral role
in seeing this legislation pass. However, it was not just organizations. Individuals from
around the country helped make this happen. The people who were brave enough to tell
their stories publicly and to legislators are the unsung heroes.
History
The Combating Autism Act of 2006 was the first law that codified rights for the autistic
community in legislation at the federal level. It mandated the federal government to
provide funding for research, support, and services. More than a decade later, the
Autism Cares Act of 2019 passed Congress and the President signed it.
The Autism Cares Act of 2019 ensured “support for research, services, prevalence
tracking, and other government activities,” according to the Interagency Autism
Coordinating Committee (IACC), a Federal advisory committee advised the Secretary of
Health and Human Services on autism related issues. The “legislation increases the
annual authorized federal spending on autism efforts to $369.7 million through 2024,
said the IACC.
Autism Cares Act of 2024
The Autism Cares Act of 2024 provides even more funding for research, support and to
provide services for people with autism and their families. “As the only federal law solely
dedicated to the autism community, the Autism CARES Act has been the most
important driver of investments in autism research, data and training programs, which
have fueled the development of evidence-based, best practices benefiting autistic
individuals and their families, according to Autism Speaks.
The Autism CARES Act is an important law that helps people with autism and their
families. It provides federal funding for research, education, and services. But this law
didn’t happen on its own. It became a reality thanks to the hard work of many
advocates—people who spoke up to make sure the government paid attention to the
needs of the autism community.
National Organizations
National organizations like Autism Speaks and the Autism Society also played a huge
role. These organizations worked to spread awareness nationally. They met with
government leaders, testified at hearings, and shared data showing how many people
are affected by autism. These groups helped bring people from different states together
to fight for the same goal. They also made sure lawmakers understood how funding for
research and early intervention could make a big difference in people’s lives.
Bipartisan
One of the most astounding things about the Autism CARES Act is that it was a
bipartisan effort and had support from both sides of the aisle. Advocacy groups,
individuals, and families worked hard to show lawmakers how prevalent autism is and
the impact it has on families nationally. Autism impacts communities regardless of
income, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, political party, and other
differences that sometimes divide society. 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults are autistic.
Thus, it was imperative that advocacy groups work with both Democrats and
Republicans. This teamwork helped the Autism CARES Act pass and get renewed over
the years. It also shows that when people work together and leave petty partisanship
behind, profound changes can occur and be sustained.
Conclusion
The passage of the Autism Cares Act of 2024 “is the result of years of tireless advocacy,
personal storytelling, and bold action by people with disabilities, their families, and
allies,” according to The Arc.
The Autism CARES Act is a great example of how coming together can lead to
sustained change, increasing visibility, and more government funding. Thanks to the
hard work of all the advocates, individuals, and families that worked to ensure the best
version of this law passed. Also, thank you for starting important and sometimes difficult
conversations about autism, which helps reduce stigma. People are now more aware of
the challenges that people with autism and their families face, and why it’s so important
to support them.
