Congressman Chris Smith Recognized For Leadership Impacting Autism
Mike DiMauro, Geri Sabasko, Rep. Smith, Autism Speaks CEO Angela Geiger, Rana Corandan, Shane Lilliston, Fay Painter
Congressman Chris Smith received the Congressional Leadership Award on Wednesday on Capitol Hill from the group Autism Speaks, a national advocacy group that promotes awareness of and research and solutions for autism spectrum disorder. Smith was awarded at the 2018 World Autism Month Champions Luncheon, capping off a month of significant activity on behalf of children with autism and their caregivers.
“I want to thank the leaders at Autism Speaks for their incredible work raising awareness on this invisible crisis,” said Smith, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus, at the Hill Day event held during World Autism Month. The luncheon was attended by autism advocates from all over the U.S., many of who have children with autism.
“Autism affects 1 in 68 children—and 1 in 42 boys—nationwide, according to the CDC, and 1 out of every 41 children—and 1 in 26 boys—in New Jersey,” Smith said. “More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. With tens of thousands of children on the autism spectrum transitioning into adulthood each year, we must do better at ensuring that they have the education and therapeutic and other services they need to live healthy, independent lives, as the current health care system is not designed to meet their needs.”
Smith has authored four major laws on autism: the Autism CARES Act, the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, the Autism Statistics, Surveillance, Research and Epidemiology (ASSURE) Act, and Kevin and Avonte’s Law, provisions of which were signed into law in March as part of the omnibus bill. The law is named after two boys with autism, Kevin Curtis and Avonte Oquendo, who tragically drowned while wandering from safety.
Kevin and Avonte’s Law set up funding for critical wandering-prevention education programs and non-invasive locative tracking technology to assist children with autism—at risk of serious injuries that can result from wandering—and their caregivers. The spending package authorized $10 million over five years for the Missing Americans Alert Program, and will greatly support local law enforcement, hospitals, and caregivers in their work to prevent wandering deaths and injuries.
Almost half of children with Autism have wandered at some point, according to a 2012 Pediatrics study. Wandering can and has resulted in serious injury or death.
More from my site
Activists take dissent in dangerous direction
Welle Wins Ocean Dems’ endorsement to challenge Congressman Chris Smith
House Defense Bill Will Boost Joint Base MDL, Congressman Smith announces
Congressman Smith to address China’s role in opioid crisis
Welle proclaims “deep, strong, progressive convictions” –Video
Congressman Smith: Joint Base Projects Are Safe From Cuts For Border Wall Funding
Congressman Smith Praises NJ Company For Solar Installation and Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts
Welle’s Bogus Town Hall Meeting in Jackson-Videos- Congressman Smith is unopposed in the GOP Primary
What is Josh Welle hiding? Congressional candidate is in violation of the Ethics in Government Act
that voters in his district will look past the rude, screaming mobs who have been proliferating all around any Republican, since our President came into office, and realize all the consistent, caring, hard work this man has delivered, over his years of outstanding service to all, especially those who have no voice or help. Just because many of his issues don’t always get controversial, yelling headlines, doesn’t mean he hasn’t delivered ten times more real change and assistance to the citizens: unlike that other one from Long Branch, who has been coasting along for three decades, achieving nothing but crazy left-wing platitudes and now, simply adding to the obstructionism against those trying to straighten this country out!