www.autismkey.com
Below are the top 5 states we feel have the best services, treatment options and educational
programs. We have briefly highlighted a few factors that
contributed to each state's high ranking.
1) Wisconsin
( WI )
Highlights:
** Task Force for Autism created
in 2004
** Currently offers funding for
in-home autism treatment through a waiver system.
This waiver is offered state-wide and is administered by
individual counties.
** Home to the
** In February of 2007, Governor Jim Doyle announced his
intentions to require insurers to
provide coverage to serve autistic children throughout the state.
2)
California
( CA )
**
Special education services for autistic children are
guaranteed.
** Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is an agency
through which the State of California
provides services and support to children and adults with
developmental disabilities, including autism.
Created the DDS Autism Initiative in 1997 to establish
and carry out comprehensive public policy on the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of autism spectrum disorder.
** California Department of Education is very proactive as it
relates to special education services.
In 2003, almost 681,980
individuals, up to twenty-two years of age received some form of
special education.
** Home to Cure Autism Now and the
Autism Research
Institute.
** In late 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger passed Assembly
Bill 2513 which among other things, will help identify ways for
public and private schools to better serve the educational needs
of children with autism.
Highlights:
**
Home to The Autism Center
at the University of Medicine & Dentistry.
Provides research, treatment and outreach programs.
**
Well established reputation for its autism-related services.
Parents and families often relocate from nearby states to
take advantage of New Jersey’s special educational programs.
** The New
Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community
(COSAC) provides information and
advocacy, services, family and professional education, and
consultation for individuals with autism and their families
throughout the state.
** Through the Governor’s Initiative on Autism, New Jersey school districts recently
had the opportunity to apply for state grants to establish,
expand or enhance their programs and services for students
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
4)
Ohio
( OH )
**
Offers the Ohio Autism Waiver. The intent is to allow
families to secure intensive intervention services for their
child. Thus, each child will be eligible to receive up to
,000.
** Ohio's Autism Scholarship Program -- a program of the
Ohio Department of Education (ODE) which allows ODE to pay a
scholarship to the parents of a qualified child with autism.
Through the scholarship, parents have a choice of sending their
child to a special education program, other than the one
operated by their child's school district, to receive the
services outlined in the child's individualized education
program (IEP). Autism
Scholarship Program, formerly a pilot, was recently made
permanent and a new law removes the cap on the number of
autistic children who can enroll.
** Autism
Society of
** Home to the Cleveland
Clinic Center for Autism
** A comprehensive overview of services
in Ohio: http://www.ddc.ohio.gov/Pub/ASDGuide.PDF
5)
Missouri ( MO )
Highlights:
**
Missouri Department
of Mental Health is actively involved in providing support and
resources for families and caregivers and even provides an
extensive list of support groups on their website:
http://www.dmh.mo.gov/mrdd/autismsupport.htm
** Home to the Judevine Center
for Autism
** Home to the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental
Disorders, affiliated with the
University of Missouri-Columbia.
** Gov. Matt Blunt's recent budget proposes to spend .9 million on autism:, most of which
would provide funds would be awarded as grants for the
Department of Mental Health.
** Link to the Missouri
Autism Resource Guide
Thanks so much! We are in MO and I did not know they were so good.
I work for a university ... they are not so good on funding higher ed!!!
I don't recommend California. It is too expensive, too crowded and the services are far and few between. You have to fight for every little service unless you have an advocate or lawyer to help you. You have to find out your entitlements, they aren't about to tell you. The Regional Centers are not our friends, they are a poor excuse to spend a lot of dollars not to support you but, to put our children in prison and take them away from the family. The schools are under funded and don't have a clue on how to handle the influx of autistics into their system. Many are just baby sat and get no occupational therapy or educational engagement to help them achieve independence. I must disagree with this one. It is definitely for a few and not the masses.Vermont is good too.I'm very surprised that NY is not on the list.same here. I've heard excellent things about New York. Our therapist in Arizona had told us don't move to Texas go to New York, you'll get better services.I must disagree with WI being #1. The waiver program may be great if you can get it. The state must decide if your child is disabled or not. If the says no your child is not disabled then you are SOL. It looks good on paper but when you actually try for it, its so out of reach. My child isn't even on the waiting list yet-(because we are fighting with state about her disability determination) the waiting list is at least a year long. to make a long story short-our great waiver program isn't all that its cracked up to be.
California is definitely tough. If you don't have an attorney for education, it's a nightmare. My daughter moved and had to change regional centers. I thought los angeles was bad, but the North Hollywood Regional center is the WORST. Their job is to tell you no, no, no, instead of offering you any services. Gee, how stupid am I? I thought their job description was to help disabled children. You just get so darn sick of fighting for services..it's disgusting.I have had various success stories from different states. I am assuming it all depends on the school district and how they administer there programs. A state could be a top 5 state for autism, but it depends on the location/district it could be less than average in providing services. I have lived in SC and now I am in PA. Both states I had no issues receicving the mediciaid waiver within a couple of months for my daughter with little or no hassle. The problem in PA has been trying to obtain services and/or locate services, since little or no providers exist that take medicaid and I live in a suburb of major city in PA. Luckily I do not have to depend on medicaid, since my daughter has a primary insurance is thorugh my employer. I have heard good things about NJ, but also some horror stories. In the end, it depends on the district and there ability/experience with autistic children. Also, trying to stay on top of things and making sure you have an effective IEP in place.