Reps. Byrum, Accavitti, Adamini, Anderson, Ball, Bieda, Brown, Byrnes, Caswell, Caul, Cheeks, Clack, Clemente, Condino, Cushingberry, Espinoza, Farhat, Farrah, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Hildenbrand, Hopgood, Jones, Kehrl, Kolb, Leland, Lemmons, III, Lipsey, Mayes, McConico, McDowell, Meisner, Miller, Murphy, Palsrok, Phillips, Plakas, Polidori, Sak, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Spade, Stahl, Stakoe, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Van Regenmorter, Vander Veen, Waters, Wojno and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 52.

            A resolution declaring April as Autism Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, Increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, supporting programs for increased research and improved treatment of autism, and improving training and support for individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with autism is important; and

Whereas, The Autism Society of America, the National Alliance for Autism Research, The Arc of Michigan, The Autism Society of Michigan, and numerous other organizations commemorate April as National Autism Awareness Month; and

Whereas, Autism is a developmental disorder that is typically diagnosed during the first 3 years of life, and impairs the ability of persons to communicate and socialize with others; and

Whereas, Autism affects an estimated 1 in every 166 children in America, and is growing at a rate of 17 percent each year; and

Whereas, Autism is 4 times more likely in boys than in girls, and can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or other factors; and

Whereas, The cost of specialized treatment in a developmental center for people with autism is approximately $80,000 per individual per year; and

Whereas, The cost of special education programs for school-aged children with autism is often more than $30,000 per individual per year; and

Whereas, Despite the fact that autism is one of the most common developmental disorders, many professionals in the medical and educational fields are still unaware of the best methods to diagnose and treat the disorder; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare April as Autism Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.  We also support the establishment of April as National Autism Awareness Month.  We recognize and commend the parents and relatives of children with autism for their sacrifice and dedication in providing for the special needs of children with autism and for absorbing significant financial costs for specialized education and support services; and be it further

Resolved, We stress the need to begin early intervention services soon after a child has been diagnosed with autism, noting that early intervention strategies are the primary therapeutic options for young people with autism, and early intervention significantly improves outcomes for people with autism and can reduce the level of funding and services needed later in life.