Bringing people with autism into the election dialogue
by Katy
This election year, Americans have the unique opportunity to influence the future of our great country as citizens go to the polls to elect the next President of the United States. With primary season just weeks away, our potential future leaders are now sharing their roadmaps for the next four years—shaping the policies and causes they believe to be most valuable to our country’s future success.
Today, one candidate proposed an initiative that brings the issues and concerns of individuals with autism into the election dialogue. We are very pleased to see the needs of children and adults with autism emerge as a presidential campaign issue in 2016, and hope candidates of both parties will make the needs of all people with disabilities, including those with autism, a national priority.
Easterseals, the nation’s leading provider of autism services, is a proud partner for millions of families living with autism. We know individuals with autism can and do lead meaningful lives—our clients are proof of just that.
We’re especially proud to see policy leaders concur with our priority on early intervention. Through the advocacy of public leaders like our 2016 candidates, we can change the national conversation on early childhood development. Early identification of autism and other developmental disabilities can make the difference between a life of independence and a life of dependence. That’s why we offer a free online screening tool to help guide parents through life’s earliest milestones.
From a local perspective, you can learn about support available to people with autism in your community by checking out our updated autism state profiles. We publish these reports each year to give policy leaders, organizations, clients and supporters an idea of the services, resources and laws that affect people with autism in every state.
Stay tuned for more information and coverage of the presidential election from Easterseals this year.