HJ0003 LRB094 05065 HSS 35101 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Autism Society of America, Cure Autism Now,
3 the National Alliance for Autism Research, Unlocking Autism,
4 the Autism Society of Illinois, Giant Steps of Illinois, and
5 numerous other organizations commemorate April as National
6 Autism Awareness Month; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Autism is a developmental disorder that is
8 typically diagnosed during the first 3 years of life, robbing
9 individuals of their ability to communicate and interact with
10 others; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Autism affects an estimated 1 in every 250
12 children in America; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Autism is 4 times more likely in boys than in
14 girls, and can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or
15 other factors; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The cost of specialized treatment in a
17 developmental center for people with autism is approximately
18 $80,000 per individual per year; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The cost of special education programs for
20 school-aged children with autism is often more than $30,000 per
21 individual per year; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The cost nationally of caring for persons affected
23 by autism is estimated at more than $90,000,000,000 per year;
24 and
 
25     WHEREAS, Despite the fact that autism is one of the most
26 common developmental disorders, many professionals in the
27 medical and educational fields are still unaware of the best
28 methods to diagnose and treat the disorder; and
 

 

 

HJ0003 - 2 - LRB094 05065 HSS 35101 r

1     WHEREAS, Public and private entities including Giant Steps
2 of Illinois provide educational and therapeutic services to
3 enable children with autism to achieve their maximum potential
4 and strive to improve a child's ability to interact,
5 communicate, and develop academic and daily life skills; the
6 group works cooperatively with local school districts to
7 reintegrate students with autism into their home school on a
8 full-time or part-time basis based on the individual needs of
9 the student; therefore, be it
 
10     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
12 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we name the month of April 2005
13 as Autism Awareness Month in the State of Illinois, and we
14 recognize and commend the parents and relatives of children
15 with autism for their sacrifice and dedication in providing for
16 the special needs of children with autism and for absorbing
17 significant financial costs for specialized education and
18 support services; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That we support the goal of increasing federal,
20 State, and private funding for aggressive research to learn the
21 root causes of autism, identify the best methods of early
22 intervention and treatment, expand programs for individuals
23 with autism across their lifespan, and promote understanding of
24 the special needs of people with autism; and be it further
 
25     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
26 presented to the Autism Society of Illinois and Giant Steps of
27 Illinois.