Insurance Bill Action Alert
Positive Behavior Supports
Other Related Conditions Statute
Early Intervention for Children with ASD
Teacher License in Autism

Sample Questions for Government Officials and Candidates

Insurance for Autism Spectrum Disorders

In MN, we support parent choice.

Every child with autism spectrum disorder is different. So why is the Minnesota Legislature considering a one size fits all insurance bill?
The active bill on health insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders is solidifying in the Minnesota Legislature. The bill is HF 0359 & SF 0312. The chief authors are Representative Kim Norton and Senator Linda Scheid, respectively. The bill requires coverage by a health plan for diagnosis and medically necessary care, including the following: 1) intensive behavior therapy, such as applied behavior analysis, intensive early intervention behavior therapy, intensive behavior intervention, and Lovaas therapy, 2) behavior services, instruction and management, 3) speech therapy, 4) occupational therapy, 5) physical therapy, and 6) medications.
As it stands today, this bill restricts parent choice. By naming intensive behavior therapy and listing out the specific tag therapies of ABA providers, the legislature is making therapy choices for families. The bill excludes developmental therapies that many parents and professionals feel are best for individual children. We believe that all families should be empowered to make therapy choices based on the specific needs of their child. This bill is too restrictive on available, effective and less costly developmental therapies.
A strict focus on only ABA therapies fails to take into account the newest scientific neurological studies, which have resulted in a better understanding of the core features of autism spectrum disorders and their treatment. Focusing solely on ABA ignores less costly interventions that effectively treat autism. These developmental therapies provide parents with the choice and access to more affodable health care options. In November 2009 a study revealed that parents can learn to deliver effective therapy in 15 hours/week. This bill ignores the emerging science in autism.
The bill covers ABA as intensive therapy for 40 hours/week and leaves other effective and less costly therapies uncovered. This means families and therapists will have to fight insurance companies to get children the help they need. It places an undue burden on families whose resources are already stretched thin.
Read the actual bill here.
Join the Autism Society of Minnesota and the following agencies serving children with autism spectrum disorder in supporting parent choice:
St. David’s Center
West-Metro Learning Connections
Sheila Merzer & Associates
Celebrate the Spectrum

Add your organization to the list of those who support parent choice! Email news@ausm.org.

Positive Behavior Supports

The Autism Society of Minnesota endorses the use of positive behavior supports as the only effective methods of managing challenging behavior for families, schools, and care facilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) contains several provisions requiring the use of functional behavioral assessments and positive behavior supports. Settings licensed by The Minnesota Department of Human Services are currently governed by comprehensive rules limiting the use of aversive methods.

The Autism Society of Minnesota has adopted a position statement opposed to the use of aversive techniques to address challenging behavior. These techniques include, but are not limited to the use of restraints and locked time out. This position reflects the fact that research does not support the use of time out or the use of aversive techniques like restraints as a means to change behavior. In addition, these methods violate the human rights and dignity of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, They should be eliminated from schools and care facilities. Educational programs for parents, care workers, and teachers should promote the use of positive behavior supports and functional communication training. The Minnesota Department of Education should take leadership in promoting positive interventions and supports for all students and schools. This approach would teach all students to understand how to behave in school and help schools to reinforce desired behaviors. It is based on the science of human behavior, pays attention to lifestyle results, works from a systems perspective, and uses research-validated practices.

Other Related Conditions Statute

The other related conditions statute that defines who is eligible for social services because of a developmental disability should include the term “autism spectrum disorders.” Currently the statute includes the term ”autism.” This term is too restrictive because some individuals with ASD, who are diagnosed as having Asperger syndrome, need life long supports in daily living skills, employment, and community living. The determination should be made on the basis of how the person functions and whether supports are needed.

Early Intervention for Children with ASD

There are reliable diagnostic tools to diagnose children as early as 18 months. Minnesota physicians must be trained to diagnose ASD by 24 months. Many wait until 4 or 5 years. Schools, counties, and public health services must screen children early, using a screening tool like the M-CHAT that is sensitive to problems in social communication.

Early screening would lead to early service. According to an extensive review of findings by the National Research Council in 2001, a large body of single subject research has demonstrated substantial progress in individual responses to specific interventions. Gains were reported in language acquisition, IQ, social skills, and behavior control. We know that intensive services are effective.

No single therapy has been widely accepted as the most effective intervention for children with ASD. Children with autism are heterogeneous. According to a study of early intervention in British Columbia (2005) there were no significant differences between type of service and diagnosis. A number of interventions have been proven to be effective. These are applied behavior analysis (discrete trial training), floor-time therapy, RDI, sensory integration therapy, speech therapy, and structured teaching. Community agencies and schools use these interventions, and they can be taught to parents.

Early intervention for children with ASD would save money over time. According to The National Alliance for Autism Research, the estimated cost of residential care for a person with autism is approximately $80,00 per year. According to the United States Government Office of Accountability special education programs for school aged children with autism are $18,800 per year compared with average special education per pupil expenditures of $12,500.

Teacher License in Autism

The Autism Society of Minnesota supports a teacher’s license in autism for several reasons.

1. There is a significant and growing number of students identified for special education services as having autism spectrum disorders. The Minnesota special education child count for 2004 was 7307. This reflects a 10-fold increase in the past 10 years.
2. Teacher training in autism is inadequate to support the 2006 student population in Minnesota. Presently teachers of students with ASD are loosely organized in a network of 36 Autism Resource Specialists. Local school districts do not have to use the specialists even though Minnesota Rule says that someone with “expertise and experience” should be part of the IEP team. The system lacks accountability, and there are many school districts that do not use the technical assistance.
3. Groundwork for a license in autism has been developed. In 2003 a work group of teachers, who teach students with ASD, developed a list of competencies. In addition, three institutes of higher learning, Hamline, St. Thomas, and the University of Minnesota, have developed an autism certificate program. The classes have been well attended and expertise to teach these courses has begun to be developed.
4. Instruction of students with ASD does require specific knowledge and skills not currently required by Minnesota licenses. Teachers who are motivated to develop these skills and concepts must take additional course work at additional expense. (Minnesota Autism Symposium) It is a greater concern that the EBD license prepares teachers in strategies that are not effective for students with autism. Reports of students suspended and locked in time out mostly reflect insufficient training in proactive behavior strategies.
5. The Minnesota State Performance plan includes a monitoring priority indicator that students demonstrate improvement in positive social-emotional skills, acquisition and use of skills (language), and use of appropriate behavior to meet their needs. Considering these are core deficits in ASD, the only way Minnesota can show student progress in its large population of students with ASD is through effective use of research-based strategies. To use these strategies in a classroom, however, does require training and knowledge.
6. It is also important to mention that the cost of insufficient training is very high to the children and their families. Students with ASD have unique learning needs. When these needs are not met, the students have behavior problems. Their academic progress suffers. There are long term and significant problems with schools, family disruption, and the student. IDEA states that special education services should be individualized and appropriate to the student’s needs. This means that the teacher does understand the disability and can effectively use strategies for the student. AuSM is concerned that teacher training could possibly become a due process issue.

The Autism Society of Minnesota is continuing to collect opinions on this issue.

Questions for Candidates and Government Officials

Would you like to speak with government officials about autism or special education but don't know what to say?  Below are sample questions and background information that you can use. Now is the time to speak to candidates and elected officials at the state and federal levels.

Sample Questions - State

Sampe Questions - Federal