Assemblyman Santabarbara is seeing another BIG WIN for his Autism Action Plan in the New York State Assembly with another two Autism Action bills signed into law today. One of the bills provides for a standardized Autism ID Card in New York State which adds to a victory earlier this year when Santabarbara's bill that established a state-wide Autism Training Program for Police and First Responders was passed as part of the state budget. The second key piece of legislation to provide early screening for Autism was also signed into law today.

The bills are summarized as follows:
 
1. Autism Training for First Responders: This first-of-its-kind statewide program ensures police officers and other first responders are properly trained to recognize the signs of autism and how to respond (Signed into law - Ch. 57 of 2018).

“Whether it’s helping a family find a missing child or responding to an adult with autism whose behavior may be misunderstood, recognizing the signs of autism and knowing how to react is important,� Santabarbara said, who serves as the Chair of the New York State Assembly's Sub-Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorders. “This training is a valuable resource to those serving in law enforcement and after years of working on this initiative, I’m so very pleased to finally see it become a reality here in New York.�
 
2. Autism ID Cards: This will offer individuals and families affected by autism the first standardized card of its kind in New York State, replacing locally issued identifications and homemade notes. This optional identification card offers another communication tool to help describe some of the challenges a person with autism may face and also includes emergency contact information. First responders will be trained to recognize the card through the new Autism Training Program for First Responders program passed earlier this year (Signed into law - Ch. 209 of 2018).

“This bill offers another communication tool to help to easily communicate a person’s diagnosis and other critical information during emergencies and other social interactions,� said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “Together with the critical training that helps first responders learn to recognize the signs of autism, my legislation puts everyone on the same page by creating a standardized communication tool that gives first responders the information they need." 

3. Early Screening for Autism: This legislation will provide early screening for autism in New York State at 18 and 24 months of age as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Awaits Governor's signature by midnight today). Screening is a way to detect autism before the onset of symptoms. With recent advancements in early screening, by age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable, however, there is no standardized screening approach for the early identification of autism. To promote and improve the early identification of autism, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently published practice guidelines included in Santabarbara’s bill that recommends screening for autism at the 18 and 24 month visits, before the onset of symptoms. (Signed into law - Ch. 241 of 2018).

“Despite these guidelines, most busy pediatric practices do not consistently use the screening,� Santabarbara said, whose 16 year old son, Michael, was diagnosed with autism at age 3. “As a result, most children are not diagnosed until age 3 or later. This delay means that many children are not getting the help they need,� Santabarbara added. “Early treatment of autism can have a significantly positive impact on the health and well-being of children and their families."
 
The latest report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control showed that about 1 in 59 children in the US are now being diagnosed with autism, up from 1 in 68 in 2012 and the numbers have doubled is less than 20 years.

"The numbers are alarming," said Assemblyman Santabarbara.  "Autism is now the fastest-growing developmental disability in the country. With more than 3.5 million Americans living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, time is running out and people are being left behind," Santabarbara added. "There's a crisis that needs our immediate attention and with the passage of these critical bills we are taking steps to address the challenges thousands of families affected by autism are facing each day."

Santabarbara has been a vocal advocate for New Yorkers with disabilities. He authored a package of bills in the State Assembly called Autism Action NY designed to support people with autism. The initiative led to the creation of New York's first Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board to develop and update a statewide Autism Action Plan.