Federal News
2018
May 30, 2018
A new study identified an association between rare structural variants in noncoding segments of genes inherited from fathers and autism in their children. Researchers studied 829 families, including 880 individuals with autism, without genetic mutations that have been previously linked to autism. They studied the contribution of these noncoding variants, called cis-regulatory elements (CRE-SVs), and found that when fathers passed on these variants there was an association with autism in their children. This association was not found when the variants were passed on by mothers.
April 26, 2018
The CDC published its latest autism prevalence estimates based on the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of ASD among children aged 8 years residing in 11 ADDM Network sites in the United States.
April 19, 2018
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.
April 18, 2018
The 2017 Summary of Advances provides short, plain language summaries of the top 20 research articles selected by the IACC. The studies selected for 2017 have provided new insight into potential biomarkers to predict risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental trajectories of children with ASD, and the impact of the various prenatal exposures on ASD risk.
Sunday, April 2, 2018
World Autism Awareness Day is an opportunity to recognize and support all children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Today, millions of adults and an estimated 1 out of every 68 children in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of ASD.
March 27, 2018
Able South Carolina is a Center for Independent Living that has been awarded a Partnerships in Employment (PIE) Systems Change Grant from the ACL. Able South Carolina launched a pilot program to provide students with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to get work experience during high school and works to educate employers.
March 27, 2018
The Social Security Administration is seeking input on their Representative Payment Program to improve SSA’s ability to identify beneficiaries who can direct the management of their own benefits. The deadline for input is April 6, 2018.
March 23, 2018
Congress passed bipartisan legislation to help families locate missing loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, autism and related conditions. Kevin and Avonte’s Law (S. 2070), named in honor of two boys with autism who perished after wandering from safety, also supports training for caregivers to prevent and respond to instances of wandering.
February 28, 2018
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar has designated Ann E. Wagner, Ph.D., as the National Autism Coordinator. In this role, Dr. Wagner will play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of national autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research, services, and support activities across federal agencies.
February 14, 2018
The President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) has released its 2017 report, America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis: Effects on People with Intellectual Disabilities, Families, Communities and the U.S. Economy. This report reports on how direct support professionals (DSP) promote participation on the U.S. economy and explores the high turnover rate of DSPs.
February 12, 2018
Two new grant opportunities have been announced by NIDILRR. One of which promotes disability and rehabilitation research on college and career success for students with serious mental illness or traumatic brain injury.
January 22, 2018
On Monday, January 22, 2018, the President signed into law: H.R. 3759.
January 12, 2018
This press release is related to a presentation from the October 2017 IACC Meeting.
This toolkit includes a set of screening questions that can help nurses or physicians in medical settings successfully identify youth at risk for suicide.
2017
December 18, 2017
Two new grant opportunities from NIDLRR have been announced under the Field Initiated Projects program to enhance the ability of minority serving entities to conduct disability and rehabilitation research.
December 7, 2017
The Department of Education has released a document answering questions about the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision on Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, which clarified the definition of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This document provides an overview of the case, clarifies the definition of FAPE, and provides considerations for the implementation of IEPs.
November 21, 2017
The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has released the results of their survey on adults aged 18 and older enrolled in Medicaid between October 2013 and December 2013. The survey provides information on state-by-state access, barriers to care, and experiences prior to the expansion of coverage on January 1, 2014.
November 3, 2017
The Office of Disability Employment Policy has selected 18 states to receive technical assistance and training under the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program for FY 2018. The program provides onsite and virtual technical assistance to help increase competitive, integrated employment for individuals with disabilities.
October 31, 2017
During National Family Caregivers Month, we honor those whose extraordinary selflessness provides others with independence and comfort.
October 23, 2017
The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) has released its 2016 – 2017 Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The new IACC Strategic Plan meets the requirements of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (Autism CARES) Act of 2014 and includes objectives that encompass ASD research and services activities.
October 23, 2017
The Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC) has released The 2014-2015 IACC ASD Research Portfolio Analysis Report which represents the eighth year of data collected and the sixth comprehensive report of U.S. ASD research funding across both the Federal and private sectors.
September 7, 2017
The National Institutes of Health has awarded nine research grants totaling nearly $100 million over the next five years for the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE), a program that supports large research projects aimed at understanding and developing interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
August 3, 2017
A new Report to Congress compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds there is a critical need for research and better coordinated services targeted to youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are transitioning to adulthood.
July 10, 2017
ACL's Administration for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities recently awarded five-year grants to 42 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs). The UCEDDs will receive a total of $22,974,000 a year to address issues, find solutions, and advance research in order to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act website has been updated to incorporate new navigation and design, expanded search options, resources for different audiences, and new content. The revamped website can be found at https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
Friday, April 28, 2017
HHS recommits to supporting Americans living with autism and their families.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
The FDA issued a consumer update to remind the public to be wary of companies and products for ASD that are not evidence-based.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Based on U.S. Census data and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence estimates, over a half million youth with ASD will turn 18 over the next decade.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
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).
Sunday, April 2, 2017
On World Autism Awareness Day, we highlight the importance of addressing the causes and improving the treatments for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We also recognize the importance of identifying ASDs early in a child's life and of understanding the obstacles faced by people living on the autism spectrum.
Friday, March 24, 2017
Researchers Audrey Thurm, Ph.D and Somer Bishop, Ph.D report that for every month a child with autism is delayed in walking the odds of having a spontaneous genetic mutation increases by 17%.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Mark Daly, Ph.D reported that a third of genetic mutations found in individuals with ASD are also found in unaffected people.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Personal interest story about a mother who joined the airforce to get her son access to autism services.