Out of calendars, but URGENT ACTION needed to pass SB 419!!

[Guest guest]

SB419 was put on the Texas House calendar BUT THE CRITICAL moment has

arrived and time is of the essence. THERE is no guarantee the bill

will be heard if it's not prioritized, and TUESDAY is the last day it

can be debated.

PLEASE we need you to call your Supt.of Scools and School Board Members

with the following information. Feel free to cut and paste to email -

but MORE IMPORTANTLY, call and offer to fax the information. Emails

are easily deleted and ignored, or saved for later, but phone calls are

not ignored!

THE FACT THAT THIS BILL REDEFINES AUTISM as a neurobiological disorder

has huge implications for how our children are regarded and HOW

TREATMENTS ARE FUNDED.

If you've never called on legislation -- don't be intimidated, CALL

NOW! My experience with staffers is that they are very nice and

patient.

We can get this done but only if our voices are heard LOUD and CLEAR.

See below information to forward to Supts. and School Board Members:

Urgent Action Needed TODAY!!

Educators need to call or fax their state representative and Governor

Rick 's office TODAY and tell their representative to support

Texas Senate Bill 419 or SB419.

SB 419 is a bill which expands health insurance benefits for persons

with autism spectrum disorder, (the Autism Insurance Bill). The special

provisions in the SB 419 mandate coverage for young children are of

special interest to educators. SB 419 is supported by the Texas

Federation of Teachers (TFT), Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA),

and the Association of Professional Educators (APE).

If you are not sure who represents you, go to this link:

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

Type in your address in the blue box on the right side and hit return.

On the list, look for your Texas State Representative and call their

Capitol office.

To contact Governor 's office:

In Austin, ; Or fax your comments to

TALKING POINTS:

Senate Bill 419 (SB419) passed the Texas Senate UNANIMOUSLY and is

scheduled for debate in the Texas House on Monday, May 21. Because of

intense opposition from the Texas Business Association and the

insurance industry,it is crucial that representatives hear from

educators on this bill.

Results from a University of Houston study indicate that the state of

Texas would save $208,500 per child across eighteen years of general

revenue funded educational services if the child undergoes early

intensive behavior intervention.

SB419 mandates insurance coverage for necessary treatment for 3-5 year

oldswith autism. This mandate benefits education community enormously

by sharing the cost and burden for treating kids with autism with the

insuranceindustry. Kids with autism can be very expensive to serve.

Services provided by insurance can help children enter schools with a

higher skill level and allow more children to learn in a group

environment.

Research shows it will cost taxpayers $3 million to care for an adult

with autism who has not received appropriate interventions in

childhood. For more than one half of individuals receiving intensive

early intervention, this cost could go away. For many more, it could

be greatly reduced. Fiscal conservatives support this bill.

The .5% projected rise in insurance costs pales in comparison with the

costs, to tax payers and families, of a failure to serve these

individuals. The CDC now estimates one in 150 children, and one in 94

boys, will be diagnosed with autism.

Best regards,

M.

Parent Advocate and Stakeholder in the Autism Community

For more information, contact .