HJ0003 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0003 LRB094 05065 HSS 35101 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Autism Society of America, Cure Autism Now, the National Alliance for Autism Research, Unlocking Autism, the Autism Society of Illinois, Giant Steps of Illinois, 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, robbing individuals of their ability to communicate and interact with others; and

WHEREAS, Autism affects an estimated 1 in every 250 children in America; 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, The cost nationally of caring for persons affected by autism is estimated at more than $90,000,000,000 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; and

WHEREAS, Public and private entities including Giant Steps of Illinois provide educational and therapeutic services to enable children with autism to achieve their maximum potential and strive to improve a child's ability to interact, communicate, and develop academic and daily life skills; the group works cooperatively with local school districts to reintegrate students with autism into their home school on a full-time or part-time basis based on the individual needs of the student; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we name the month of April 2005 as Autism Awareness Month in the State of Illinois, and 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, That we support the goal of increasing federal, State, and private funding for aggressive research to learn the root causes of autism, identify the best methods of early intervention and treatment, expand programs for individuals with autism across their lifespan, and promote understanding of the special needs of people with autism; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Autism Society of Illinois and Giant Steps of Illinois.