April is Autism Awareness Month. At the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), it’s a time to reflect on our progress and reaffirm our commitment to supporting research that responds to the needs of people on the autism spectrum, now and into the future. Read More

People with autism experience a spectrum of strengths and challenges across the full lifespan. These facts are compellingly clear to me from serving as chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) since my arrival at NIMH in 2016. The IACC is charged with advising the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on policies, practices, and research priorities with regard to autism. Read More

April is Autism Awareness Month, and this April’s observance comes after a particularly challenging year with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As I noted in my last Director’s Message, the effects of the pandemic are especially challenging for the most vulnerable, including those on the autism spectrum and their families. Read More

One of the privileges I have had as director of the National Institute of Mental Health is chairing the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). The IACC, charged with coordinating activities across multiple federal agencies with regards to research, services, and policy around autism spectrum disorder (ASD), comprises federal and private partners. Particularly valuable are the contributions from members of the committee who have lived experience with ASD. Read More

April is Autism Awareness Month, although this April is quite different than the last. Many people’s lives — including those of individuals with autism and their families — have been dramatically altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Before coronavirus, I had written a Director’s Message focused on recent advances in autism genetics research. That will be coming later in the month. But first, I felt the need to address the challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families during this difficult time. Read More

The cherry blossoms are blooming, the daffodils are bright, and it’s getting just warm enough to enjoy an early evening walk without a jacket. It’s April in Bethesda, time to dust off the outdoor furniture, put away the winter clothes, and... focus on autism. That’s right: April is Autism Awareness Month, time to take stock in where we’ve been, figure out what we’ve accomplished, and think about next steps. Read More

April is Autism Awareness month. Here at NIMH, autism is a year-round priority. We’ve been busy on multiple fronts, from keeping track of existing programs, to planning the next set of initiatives, to working with our federal and public partners to ensure coordination of efforts. We are working hard because we know individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families are counting on us. I thought I would take some time during Autism Awareness Month to highlight some of the things we’ve been doing over the past year. Read More

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, I am highlighting NIMH’s efforts at improving understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developing effective interventions and supports for individuals with ASD. As I wrote in my last message, ASD describes a heterogeneous group of conditions that share several core features, including difficulties with social communication and repetitive behaviors. Read More

Understanding how the brain develops and functions remains among the most difficult of scientific challenges, as is the effort to understand the causes of conditions that alter its function. Among these is autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is described as a spectrum because of the considerable variation in how individuals manifest both symptoms and severity. Read More