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July 29, 2010
 Autism Insurance Reform Headed to Governor's Desk
 

Autism Insurance Reform will be coming to Massachusetts. The Senate, just minutes ago, unanimously passed legislation that will require health insurers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

 

This includes both habilitative and rehabilitative care (including but not limited to, Applied Behavioral Analysis supervised by a board-certified behavior analyst), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care and therapeutic care when deemed necessary by a licensed physician or psychologist.

 

Governor Patrick reportedly stated in a video feed last night at an event for Autism Speaks that he would sign a bill if it got to his desk. When he does sign it, Massachusetts will become the 23rd state in the country to have such legislation. New Hampshire passed its version just last week. (New York's legislature passed a bill last month, but Gov. Paterson has yet to sign it into law.)

 

Unlike other states, Massachusetts' version does not have a dollar or age cap, meaning that the treatments will not be limited by money or age. This will make Massachusetts's law among the most comprehensive bills of its kind in the country.

 

Congratulations to everyone who emailed and called their legislators, and to our partner agency, AFAM, for their staunch advocacy. Thanks especially to Rep. Barbara L'Italien, Sen. Fred Berry, Ways & Means Committee Chairmen Steven Panagiotakos and Charles Murphy, Sen. President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo and all of the 110 members of the Legislature who co-sponsored  the bill.

House Passes Bill Removing R-word from Mass. General Laws
 
The Mass. House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would remove the words "mental retardation" from the General Laws of Massachusetts.The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tom Sannicandro, now heads to the Senate, but its passage is far from assured with formal sessions scheduled to expire Friday at midnight.
 

"This has always been a civil rights issue for me," said Sannicandro, Vice Chair of the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. "This bill will finish the work the Legislature started two years ago in changing the name of the Department of Mental Retardation. This vote comes as a direct result of the tireless work self-advocates and families across the Commonwealth have done to end the use of the r-word."

 

"This is an important step in addressing the stigma faced daily by people with disabilities. Words do matter," said Leo Sarkissian, executive director of The Arc of Massachusetts. "As we saw last year with the name change of the Department of Mental Retardation, removing the R-word from as many government documents and agencies as possible makes a real difference in how thousands of people with disabilities and their families feel about themselves and those charged with helping them."

 

Please call your Senator and tell them to support this important legislation.
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The mission of The Arc of Massachusetts is to enhance the lives of individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  We accomplish this through advocacy of supports and services based in the community. 
 
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