LANSING – The Michigan House today passed legislation introduced by State Representative Kathy Angerer (D-Dundee) to provide Michigan residents with a convenient way to voluntarily contribute to a fund that promotes researching the causes and treatment of autism. This plan, which would create a new income tax checkoff option, now heads to the Senate.
"As more and more children in Michigan are diagnosed with autism, the need for effective treatments becomes more and more pressing," said Angerer, who is Chair of the House Health Policy Committee. "With this new tax checkoff option, residents who want to help advance autism research will have an easy way to contribute to the community."
Checkoff boxes, which allow taxpayers to designate a portion of their tax return, are commonly used on income tax forms. Michigan currently has income tax checkoffs for the Children's Trust Fund, the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant Program and the Military Family Relief Fund.
Autism, which refers to the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as autism spectrum disorders, is characterized by difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction and repetitive behaviors. The impact ranges from mild to disabling. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of children in our state's public schools diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, such as Asperger Syndrome, increased by more than 100 percent, according to the Autism Society of Michigan. Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
This plan is part of Angerer's on-going effort to increase autism awareness and support research into effective treatments. The Dundee lawmaker is a lead sponsor of a bipartisan plan to require health insurance companies to end their arbitrary exclusion of treatment for autism. Angerer has also organized an autism roundtable to bring together local school officials, autism advocacy group leaders and families with autistic children.
"We are seeing an increasing number of autism awareness campaigns – from local grassroots efforts to public service announcements televised nationwide by the Ad Council," Angerer said. "Michigan residents have proven time and again how generous they are, and as the public learns more about autism, those who want to help can take advantage of this voluntary checkoff option."