[Note: Shared for #AutisticHistory archive purposes. This is NOT An Autistic Ally.]
House Approves $8 million for the Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Program
The “Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations Act” passed by the House of Representatives contains an eight million dollar targeted appropriation for the Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Program (ASDRP). The goal of this program, launched earlier this year, is to improve treatment and intervention for military families touched by autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This research would have the effect of benefiting all children with autism and their families.
If passed into law, the bill would mark the second year of funding for defense-funded research. In the Fiscal 2007 Defense Appropriations Act, Congress approved $7.5 million for ASDRP. The autism research program is administered as a Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which currently is responsible for administering other Congressionally-targeted medical research programs in breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.
Autism Speaks Executive Vice President Peter Bell serves as Chair of the Integration Panel of the Department of Defense FY07 ASDRP. The Integration Panel recommends the program focus, assists in the program’s policy development, recommends a research investment strategy, programmatically evaluates submitted research proposals, and provides input for dissemination of information on the program.
“This new funding is a critical next step for the ASDRP,” said Bell. “Our goal is to fund innovative research that will provide hope and lead to a cure for autism as rapidly as possible.”
Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA), co-chairs of the Coalition on Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E) worked tirelessly to secure funding for the program. C.A.R.E. now has 160 Members of Congress and has been credited with helping to significantly increase federal funding for autism initiatives. “The research directed by the Department of Defense (DoD) program will help military families with autistic children and benefit the general population as well. The DoD program seeks to enhance and supplement autism research already underway by medical, educational, healthcare and service professionals,” said Rep. Smith.
“Nobody sacrifices more for this country that our military personnel and their families,” Congressman Doyle observed. “The federal government has an obligation to find ways to help them deal with the challenges associated with an autistic family member. That’s why Chris Smith and I have been working to establish this program and provide it with adequate funding.”
Final disposition of this funding waits until a Conference between the House and the Senate over the Fiscal 2008 Defense Appropriations bill. This could occur as late as November or December of this year.
Note/Warning:
Autistic people have fought the inclusion of ABA in therapy for us since before Autism Speaks, and other non-Autistic-led autism organizations, started lobbying legislation to get it covered by insurances and Medicaid.
ABA is a myth originally sold to parents that it would keep their Autistic child out of an institution. Today, parents are told that with early intervention therapy their child will either be less Autistic or no longer Autistic by elementary school, and can be mainstreamed in typical education classes. ABA is very expensive to pay out of pocket. Essentially, Autism Speaks has justified the big price tag up front will offset the overall burden on resources for an Autistic’s lifetime. The recommendation for this therapy is 40 hours a week for children and toddlers.
The original study that showed the success rate of ABA to be at 50% has never been replicated. In fact, the study of ABA by United States Department of Defense was denounced as a failure. Not just once, but multiple times. Simply stated: ABA doesn’t work. In study after repeated study: ABA (conversion therapy) doesn’t work.
What more recent studies do show: Autistics who experienced ABA therapy are at high risk to develop PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions. Historically, the autism organizations promoting ABA as a cure or solution have silenced Autistic advocates’ opposition. ABA is also known as gay conversion therapy.
The ‘cure’ for Autistics not born yet is the prevention of birth.
The ‘cure’ is a choice to terminate a pregnancy based on ‘autism risk.’ The cure is abortion. This is the same ‘cure’ society has for Down Syndrome.
This is eugenics 2021. Instead of killing Autistics and disabled children in gas chambers or ‘mercy killings’ like in Aktion T4, it’ll happen at the doctor’s office, quietly, one Autistic baby at a time. Different approaches yes, but still eugenics and the extinction of an entire minority group of people.
Fact: You can’t cure Autistics from being Autistic.
Fact: You can’t recover an Autistic from being Autistic.
Fact: You can groom an Autistic to mask and hide their traits. Somewhat. … however, this comes at the expense of the Autistic child, promotes Autistic Burnout (this should not be confused with typical burnout, Autistic Burnout can kill Autistics), and places the Autistic child at high risk for PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions.
[Note: Autism is NOT a disease, but a neurodevelopmental difference and disability.]
Fact: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism.
International Badass Activists 