Nixon signs $750K autism bill in Springfield

While visiting Burrell Autism Center in Springfield yesterday, Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation increasing the financial backing for services for children with autism.

House Bill 2010, which takes effect July 1, raises the state’s investment for five regional autism projects by $750,000, providing services for approximately 375 additional children.

“For more than two decades, thousands of families have been connected with programs and services in their area through five regional autism projects, but there are still families across Missouri who need help accessing autism services,” Nixon said in a news release.

The Burrell Autism Center, 1300 E. Bradford Parkway, is one of several providers in Missouri’s southwest region. Any child who has an autism diagnosis and is also a regional center client is eligible to utilize the available funding.

“What this means is families can access things like parent training, applied behavior analysis and social behavior groups,” Burrell Autism Center Director Susan Henderson said.

Of the $750,000 provided by the bill, $125,000 will be available to southwest region providers such as Burrell and Freeman Health System's Ozark Center in Joplin, Henderson said.

Four other regions across Missouri are sharing in the funds.

HB 2010 is the appropriations bill for the Department of Mental Health. The Department’s Division of Developmental Disabilities oversees the regional projects that provide autism services to 2,500 families statewide. The services are designed to assist in skill development of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and provide needed training for families. The appropriations signed by Nixon will extend services to an additional 375 children, bringing the total to roughly 2,875, the release said.[[In-content Ad]]