A Legacy of Leadership

1965

A group of concerned parents, frustrated by a lack of programs and support from their local school districts, create a parent support group known as the Council of Schools for the Emotionally Disturbed (COSED). As its scope broadened and the definition of autism became more uniform, the agency focused its energy upon autism, and changed its name to the Council of Schools and Agencies for Autistic Children (COSAC). In 2009, the organization changed its name to Autism New Jersey.

1970s-1980s

The founding of pioneering educational and adult services providers.

• Eden Autism Services
• Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
• Princeton Child Development Institute

The Department of Human Services, through the Division of Developmental Disabilities, funds adult services, including residential placements.

1990s

Designation of autism as a separate educational category. Establishment of early intervention programs by the Department of Health, medical centers and private agencies in cooperation with the Division of Developmental Disabilities and Department of Education.

Governor James Florio signs bill establishing autism as a separate educational category.

1994

The National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) is founded by Karen London and her husband, Dr. Eric London, after their son, Zachary, was diagnosed with autism in 1989. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, NAAR is the first nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated to funding and accelerating biomedical research in the autism spectrum disorders.

1995

Cure Autism Now (CAN) is founded as an organization of parents, clinicians and leading scientists accelerating research to prevent, treat and cure autism.

1999

Governor Christine Whitman signs The New Jersey Infantile Autism Biomedical Research Act, which, for the first time, appropriates $1.5 million for one year from the State of New Jersey for biomedical research in autism.

Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Infantile Autism is created.

Gov. Christie Whitman advances a continuum of educational options and closes developmental centers in favor of community living.

2001

New Jersey’s Education Commissioner announces a number of initiatives to improve educational opportunities for children with autism. (1) forming a special Committee on Autism, as part of the State Special Education Advisory Council, to explore ways to improve educational services for autistic children; (2) working with professionals who provide services to autistic children in order to increase the ability of schools to provide one-on-one services; and (3) conducting a study on the need for certifying or testing professionals using applied behavior analysis or discrete trial services to teach children.

U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) form the Congressional Autism Caucus, also known as the Congressional Coalition for Autism Research & Education (C.A.R.E.), which currently includes over 160 members of Congress. It is the first organization on Capitol Hill to call national attention to autism and the first Congressional Member Organization (CMO) to focus its efforts on autism spectrum disorders.

2003

Governor James McGreevey signs into law A-2601 (a $1 surcharge on all fines resulting from motor vehicle offenses) creating a permanent source of funding for the Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Infantile Autism (supporting research into the causes, diagnosis and prevention, control and treatment of autism in New Jersey).

The New Jersey Early Intervention System publishes Service Guidelines for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. These guidelines assist families and providers in designing appropriate intervention services based on best practice research for children 0-3.

2006

Congress passes the historic “Combating Autism Act of 2005” (P.L. 109-318), authored by U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ). This comprehensive law requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify and coordinate autism-related research and to conduct an agency-wide study of research centers of excellence. It also facilitates the creation of state-level agencies to serve as clearinghouses for public information and authorizes programs to improve early screening, diagnosis, intervention and treatment for autism.

Autism Speaks (founded in 2005) merges with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR).

2007

Supported by the leadership of Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, Governor Jon Corzine signs a package of seven autism bills into law. Among these laws were: a measure that requires teacher training in awareness and instruction methods for students with autism and other developmental disabilities; a measure establishing the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force to study, evaluate, and develop recommendations to meet the needs of adults with autism; one that revamped the Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Infantile Autism to address autism issues for people of all ages; another measure that extended funding for autism medical research and treatment through a $1 surcharge for each motor vehicle fine and penalty imposed by the courts; another that required the Department of Health and Senior Services to maintain a registry of reported autism diagnoses; and one that established an Asperger's Syndrome Pilot Initiative to provide vocational, educational and social training services to persons with Asperger's Syndrome. The signing ceremony, attended by the governor and bill sponsors, took place at Eden Autism Services adult employment center.

Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now (CAN) complete their merger, uniting the nation's two leading autism advocacy organizations and their cutting-edge programs for research, treatment, and family services.

2008

Governor Jon Corzine signs Public Law 2008, chapter 80, mandating a training program for all emergency responders regarding appropriate recognition and response techniques when encountering any individual who has autism or any other developmental disability. Many state agencies and interested stakeholders came together to create this on-line course for all firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.

2009

Governor Jon Corzine signs autism insurance reform bill, S. 1651/A. 2238, into law. New Jersey is the fifteenth state to enact legislation which requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies. The measure is strongly advocated by a coalition of supporters led by Autism New Jersey and Autism Speaks.

2011

Comprehensive legislation authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) reauthorizing federal autism research programs for the next three years is approved by the Senate. The bill— H.R. 2005, “The Combating Autism Reauthorization Act”—authorizes $693 million through 2014 to fund research into causes and treatment of autism and other developmental disabilities.

Governor Chris Christie includes transition funding for high school graduates with developmental disabilities as a line item in the state budget.

2012

Governor Chris Christie signs Tara’s Law, provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities residing in community care residences and for investigations of abuse of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Governor Chris Christie and the New Jersey Legislature increase funding for adult autism services.

2013

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez unveils legislation that would provide federal funding to research and evaluate services currently available for young people “aging out” of existing autism education and support systems, develop a national strategic action plan, and provide training grants to put the plan into action in helping transitioning youth to lead productive, independent lives. The Department of Human Services obtains additional federal funding through Medicaid reform and announces closure of developmental centers in favor of community-based services.

Innovative new screening, assessment and interventional tools for individuals with autism are introduced as a result of collaborations among Eden Autism Services, WebTeam Corporation, NJIT and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Partners post their initiatives on www.innovationforautism.com.