Inter-agency efforts for people with autism sought

MANILA, Philippines - The government will soon put up an inter-agency initiative to enhance services for people with autism, if a bill pending in the House of Representatives is passed into law. House Bill 5471 mandates the health and education secretaries to develop the coordinated effort to address the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. "Autism spectrum disorders are neurologically based developmental disorders that can have profound lifelong effects in social interaction, the ability to communicate, imagination and the establishment of relationships," author Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar said in an article on the House of Representatives website. The measure also tasks the DOH with the primary responsibility of developing the proposed plan in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. These include individuals with ASD and their families, professionals with established expertise in ASD, private and public providers of services to individuals with ADS and their families and to entities providing support to families of individuals with ASD. Under the bill, the proposed plan shall contain a profile of the range of diagnoses and needs of the children, youth, and adults to be served. It shall also include projections on the future needs of individuals with ASD, including transitional services related to socialization, job training and employment and independent living in a community-based format to assist individuals moving from school to the community. Villar said providing early intervention might lessen the impact of autism. She cited research findings that suggest that up to 48 percent of young children with autism spectrum disorders make marked progress when they receive intensive early intervention. - GMANews.TV