Speaker Roberts & Renowned Autism Advocate Bob Wright To Back Insurance Coverage For Autism Treatment
By Mel Fabrikant Monday, May 18, 2009, 03:09 PM EDT
Bill Would be Another Step in N.J.’s Campaign Against Nation’s Highest Autism Rate
Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and renowned autism treatment and research advocate Bob Wright will testify today before the Assembly Appropriations Committee in support of legislation Roberts is sponsoring to require insurers to cover autism treatments. The Speaker and Wright will be joined by Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen) and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson).
Voss and Prieto sponsor the bill with Roberts and Vitale sponsors the Senate version.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Monday in Committee Room 11, Fourth Floor, State House Annex, West State Street, Trenton. The committee is expected to begin hearing the autism legislation around 11 a.m.
Roberts, Wright, Vitale, Prieto and Voss will hold a press availability immediately after the hearing, which is also expected to feature testimony from parents and autism treatment advocates.
The bill (A-2238) would be another step toward combating New Jersey’s highest-in-the-nation autism prevalence. Under Roberts’ leadership, the Legislature has shepherded into law numerous measures to raise awareness about autism and encourage early diagnosis and intervention.
“The economy is a challenge for everyone, but New Jersey parents with children who need treatment for autism particularly need help to afford the early diagnosis and intervention considered so vital to helping children breakthrough this disorder,” said Roberts (D-Camden).
Wright and his wife Suzanne – grandparents of an autistic child - are co-founders of Autism Speaks, a national foundation dedicated to raising public awareness and research money to find the answers to autism.
In its first three years, Autism Speaks raised more than $100 million, and Wright has played a vital role in urging Congress to pass the almost $1 billion Combating Autism Act, which was signed into law in December 2006.
He and his wife continue to advocate for combating autism, including the proposed Expanding the Promise of Individuals with Autism Act, which would authorize $350 million for programs related to treatments, interventions and services for children and adults with autism.
Wright is senior advisor at Lee Equity Partners and served as vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than 20 years.
Roberts noted nearly half the children who receive early autism treatment are able to mainstream back into regular classrooms early in their education.
“Failing to help a child try to overcome the obstacles presented by autism will lead to costlier problems later,” Roberts said. “Autistic adults who have not received the proper treatment will leave our families, communities and state with new and more expensive challenges. With this bill, not only are we making people’s lives better, we’re doing it in a very cost-effective way. This is just an incredibly good investment.”
Autism has no cure and its cause also remains unknown.
Assembly Democratic autism measures that have been signed into law include bills that:
Established a centralized statewide autism registry. It was sponsored Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D-Essex), Roberts, Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D-Cumberland), and Voss;
Trains teachers in autism awareness. It was sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Voss, Roberts and now-Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic).
Improved New Jersey’s system for detecting symptoms of autism in young children. It was sponsored by Assemblymen Herb Conaway, M.D. (D-Burlington/Camden), Roberts, Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald (D-Camden) and former Assemblyman Michael Panter (D-Monmouth);
Created a new expert panel to study the needs of autistic adults. It was sponsored by Roberts, Voss, Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), and McKeon;
Extends funding for autism medical research and treatment. It was sponsored by Roberts, Voss, Greenwald and Whelan.
Restructured the Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. It was sponsored by Voss;
Established a developmental disabilities awareness program for first responders. It was sponsored by Assemblymen Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester), Frederick Scalera (D-Bergen) and Roberts.
Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and renowned autism treatment and research advocate Bob Wright will testify today before the Assembly Appropriations Committee in support of legislation Roberts is sponsoring to require insurers to cover autism treatments. The Speaker and Wright will be joined by Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen) and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson).
Voss and Prieto sponsor the bill with Roberts and Vitale sponsors the Senate version.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Monday in Committee Room 11, Fourth Floor, State House Annex, West State Street, Trenton. The committee is expected to begin hearing the autism legislation around 11 a.m.
Roberts, Wright, Vitale, Prieto and Voss will hold a press availability immediately after the hearing, which is also expected to feature testimony from parents and autism treatment advocates.
The bill (A-2238) would be another step toward combating New Jersey’s highest-in-the-nation autism prevalence. Under Roberts’ leadership, the Legislature has shepherded into law numerous measures to raise awareness about autism and encourage early diagnosis and intervention.
“The economy is a challenge for everyone, but New Jersey parents with children who need treatment for autism particularly need help to afford the early diagnosis and intervention considered so vital to helping children breakthrough this disorder,” said Roberts (D-Camden).
Wright and his wife Suzanne – grandparents of an autistic child - are co-founders of Autism Speaks, a national foundation dedicated to raising public awareness and research money to find the answers to autism.
In its first three years, Autism Speaks raised more than $100 million, and Wright has played a vital role in urging Congress to pass the almost $1 billion Combating Autism Act, which was signed into law in December 2006.
He and his wife continue to advocate for combating autism, including the proposed Expanding the Promise of Individuals with Autism Act, which would authorize $350 million for programs related to treatments, interventions and services for children and adults with autism.
Wright is senior advisor at Lee Equity Partners and served as vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than 20 years.
Roberts noted nearly half the children who receive early autism treatment are able to mainstream back into regular classrooms early in their education.
“Failing to help a child try to overcome the obstacles presented by autism will lead to costlier problems later,” Roberts said. “Autistic adults who have not received the proper treatment will leave our families, communities and state with new and more expensive challenges. With this bill, not only are we making people’s lives better, we’re doing it in a very cost-effective way. This is just an incredibly good investment.”
Autism has no cure and its cause also remains unknown.
Assembly Democratic autism measures that have been signed into law include bills that:
Established a centralized statewide autism registry. It was sponsored Assemblyman John F. McKeon (D-Essex), Roberts, Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D-Cumberland), and Voss;
Trains teachers in autism awareness. It was sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Voss, Roberts and now-Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic).
Improved New Jersey’s system for detecting symptoms of autism in young children. It was sponsored by Assemblymen Herb Conaway, M.D. (D-Burlington/Camden), Roberts, Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald (D-Camden) and former Assemblyman Michael Panter (D-Monmouth);
Created a new expert panel to study the needs of autistic adults. It was sponsored by Roberts, Voss, Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), and McKeon;
Extends funding for autism medical research and treatment. It was sponsored by Roberts, Voss, Greenwald and Whelan.
Restructured the Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. It was sponsored by Voss;
Established a developmental disabilities awareness program for first responders. It was sponsored by Assemblymen Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester), Frederick Scalera (D-Bergen) and Roberts.
