HCS HB 525 -- AUTISM

SPONSOR:  Cooper (Grisamore)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Healthcare Policy by a vote of 9 to 0.

This substitute requires the Division of Developmental
Disabilities within the Department of Mental Health to establish
programs and services for individuals diagnosed with autism in
conjunction with the families of persons with autism, the
regional parent advisory councils, and the newly established
Missouri Parent Advisory Committee on Autism to enhance a
family's ability to meet the developmental and training needs of
a family member with autism.  The five-member committee will be
appointed by the division director and is required to meet
quarterly and submit an annual report to the Missouri Commission
on Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Governor, and the department
director.

Each regional program must have a regional parent advisory
council with seven to nine members having certain membership
criteria as specified in the substitute.  Each regional council
must meet at least twice a month and is required to submit an
annual report to the department director and the committee.  If a
regional council disagrees with a decision made by the division
deputy director, the issue can be referred to the committee.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will codify the
regional projects that already serve families with autistic
children.  Every county in the state is served by these regional
projects.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Grisamore; Ginger
Luetkemeyer; and Department of Mental Health.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am