Help for autism

THE ISSUE: State government can and should improve the way services are delivered to children and families affected by autism.

For those of us fortunate enough to have learned everything we know about autism by watching the movie "Rain Man," it might be easy to rank this disorder low on the list of problems we want our state government to tackle.

But state Rep. Cam Ward - and thousands of other Alabamians - don't have the luxury of seeing autism only through the fine acting of Dustin Hoffman. They see it in their children, whose autism is real, not a role.

Naturally, better service is a priority for them. Ward helped launch an effort last year to try to make it a priority for the state, too. The result is proposed legislation in this year's session that would, for starters, create a statewide council to oversee all autism services in the state.

One thing is clear: The approach now doesn't make much sense. As is too often the case, services are spread over several state agencies, which sometimes duplicate each other's efforts, have different eligibility criteria and are almost always uncoordinated. The result is scattershot, with some people bouncing around from agency to agency, some getting help and many falling through the cracks.

This is just one part of a larger problem with getting children screened for autism and in line for the right treatments to help them be all they can be. But it's a big one. With autism, timing for services is critical. Getting it right is critical for the state, too.

This developmental disorder can produce a range of problems - involving social interaction, communication and behavior - in those it afflicts. What affects the children also affects communities and schools.

It also affects far more students today than it once did. In 1990, only 68 students in Alabama public schools were diagnosed with autism. By 2006, the number had grown to 2,297, according to the Alabama Autism Task Force. Experts estimate now that almost one in 150 kids will have some form of autism.

How much of the increase is due to better screening vs. more cases is a subject of debate, as are the possible environmental causes for autism. What's not in dispute is the impact this diagnosis has on a child and family. Ward can tell you firsthand.

That's why Ward worked last year with Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, who has an autistic nephew, to get the Legislature to create the task force to look for ways to improve services for those with autism (without spending a lot of money).

The task force recommended better training for teachers and more supports in public schools to deal with children with autism, along with better screening and access to treatments, and regional centers for autism services.

But a statewide council is the logical first step, and it's one legislators should take to help families living with the real-life challenges of autism.