Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that autism now afflicts one in every 150 American children and nearly one in 100 boys. These numbers are extremely disconcerting, especially when coupled with the fact that we still know little about the root causes of autism.  More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with diabetes, cancer, and AIDS combined, and autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world.  

This week, with my support, Congress passed a resolution expressing support for designating April 2008 as “National Autism Awareness Month.”  This resolution encourages efforts to devote new resources to research into the causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and assistance to individuals with autism and those who care for them. 

By working together to raise public awareness of autism, my colleagues in Congress and I hope more money will be allocated to research and develop cures and treatments for people who desperately need it.  Our Nation must join the global effort to commit every available resource to biomedical research in order to develop cures and enhance the quality of life for the millions affected by autism.     

Despite its high prevalence, medical researchers are still unaware of the best methods to diagnose and treat the disorder.  While currently there is no medical detection technology or cure for autism, those with autism can learn to cope with their condition and lead productive lives. Early diagnosis is crucial to this important step.

Unfortunately, the US currently faces a critical shortage of appropriately trained teachers who have the skills and support necessary to teach, assist, and respond to special needs students, including those with autism, in our school systems. In southern West Virginia, we are lucky to have the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University in Huntington. Spearheaded by Ruth C. Sullivan and a coalition of parents of autistic children, the Center is pioneering intensive, individualized education and training for families, educators, and other individuals involved with autism in West Virginia.  

Since its opening in 1983, thousands of West Virginian families with autistic children have benefited from the good work of the Autism Training Center, and with each family that benefits from the teachers, caretakers, and family members trained at the Center, Ruth Sullivan’s dream continues to grow.  The West Virginia Autism Center’s innovative approach to autism treatment is at the core of their successes.  Each six-month training period, they teach teams of parents and teachers to focus on the unique needs and strengths of each individual.  In addition to helping those who have been diagnosed with autism, the Center has an ongoing study to identify those who have not been clinically diagnosed but need help with behavioral disorders.

It warms my heart to know that we have such a unique and successful special education center like the Autism Training Center in West Virginia.  To ensure a healthy and well-adjusted future for all our children, we must acknowledge that there is no “one-size-fits-all” type of education that works for all children and that specialized, individual training for teachers and caretakers is necessary for children inside and out of the classroom.  Although she has since retired, we can continue in the steps of Ruth Sullivan and the determined parents she organized in the 1980s by supporting funding for projects like the West Virginia Autism Center that are so needed to help children in West Virginia and across the Nation.