Text: HR00030 Text: HR00032 Text: HR00000 - HR00099 Text: HR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY T. TAYLOR 1 3 A Resolution urging the Iowa Department of Public 1 4 Health to compile and maintain records regarding autism. 1 5 WHEREAS, autism is a brain disorder that typically 1 6 affects a person's ability to communicate, form 1 7 relationships with others, and respond appropriately 1 8 to the environment; and 1 9 WHEREAS, some people with autism are relatively 1 10 high-functioning, with speech and intelligence intact, 1 11 and others are mentally retarded, mute, or have 1 12 serious language delays; some seem closed off and shut 1 13 down; and others seem locked into repetitive behaviors 1 14 and rigid patterns of thinking; and 1 15 WHEREAS, the diagnosis of autism is made when a 1 16 specified number of characteristics listed in the DSM- 1 17 IV, a diagnostic tool, are present, in ranges 1 18 inappropriate for the child's age; and diagnosis 1 19 usually occurs between the ages three and five; and 1 20 WHEREAS, there are other developmental disabilities 1 21 which are greatly similar to autism, including, among 1 22 others, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative 1 23 Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, and Pervasive 1 24 Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, each 1 25 of which creates different emotional, learning, and 1 26 functional difficulties; and 1 27 WHEREAS, while there are no known specific causes 1 28 of these mental disorders, some research suggests that 1 29 causes might include physical problems affecting those 1 30 parts of the brain that process language and 2 1 information received through the senses, imbalances of 2 2 certain chemicals in the brain, and genetic factors; 2 3 autism may also result from a combination of several 2 4 causes, but factors in the psychological environment 2 5 of the child do not cause autism; and 2 6 WHEREAS, autism and associated disorders affect as 2 7 many as one in 500 individuals, according to the 2 8 United States Centers for Disease Control and 2 9 Prevention as of 1997; autism is four times more 2 10 prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, 2 11 ethnic, or social boundaries, and family income, 2 12 lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the 2 13 chance of autism's occurrence; and 2 14 WHEREAS, the autism prognosis is startlingly grim 2 15 and consistent across a broad range of studies, as 2 16 only about 2 percent of those persons diagnosed with 2 17 autism will attain normal functioning, with perhaps 40 2 18 percent of the persons diagnosed being labeled high- 2 19 functioning autistic, and persons diagnosed often have 2 20 other medical problems also, such as epilepsy, mental 2 21 retardation, Down's Syndrome, or genetic disorders 2 22 such as Fragile X Syndrome, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, 2 23 William's Syndrome, or Tourette's Syndrome; and 2 24 WHEREAS, caring for and educating children and 2 25 adults suffering from autism and related disorders 2 26 often require a considerable dedication of emotional 2 27 and financial resources by parents, caretakers, 2 28 schools, hospitals, and care facilities; and 2 29 WHEREAS, the bipartisan Congressional Coalition for 2 30 Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) has been 3 1 formed, with 94 members of the United States House of 3 2 Representatives as members of the coalition, with the 3 3 goal of increasing autism awareness, educating 3 4 lawmakers and policymakers, providing a forum wherein 3 5 autism issues can be debated and discussed, and 3 6 expanding federal research into autism spectrum 3 7 disorders; and 3 8 WHEREAS, to ensure that planning for the welfare 3 9 and development of persons with autism and related 3 10 disorders is more meaningful, need exists for the Iowa 3 11 Department of Public Health to collect data on the 3 12 size of the autistic population in Iowa and of various 3 13 types of disabilities affecting that population; and 3 14 WHEREAS, the Iowa Department of Public Health's 3 15 Bureau of Vital Statistics has the ability to collect 3 16 information from pediatricians, family physicians and 3 17 other health care professionals, school districts, or 3 18 other care providers, regarding the number of adults 3 19 and the number of children who have autism or related 3 20 disorders, and the geographical locations of those 3 21 persons; NOW THEREFORE, 3 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3 23 That the Iowa Department of Public Health shall 3 24 develop legislative recommendations and administrative 3 25 rules for the compilation of information and 3 26 statistics related to Iowa residents who have been 3 27 diagnosed with autism or a related disorder. 3 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the members of Iowa's 3 29 congressional delegation to the United States House of 3 30 Representatives are encouraged to become a part of the 4 1 Coalition for Autism Research and Education. 4 2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That upon adoption, the 4 3 Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives shall send 4 4 a copy of this Resolution to Representatives Leonard 4 5 L. Boswell, Greg Ganske, Tom Latham, Jim Leach, and 4 6 Jim Nussle. 4 7 LSB 3567HH 79 4 8 vl/gg/8
Text: HR00030 Text: HR00032 Text: HR00000 - HR00099 Text: HR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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