Rep. Cuellar Announces $2.4 Million to Help Fight Autism in Laredo and Webb County
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Apr 27, 2023, 0 Comments
Courtesy Arturo Olivarez,
Laredo, Texas —U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $2,4000,000 for the Laredo Health Department to enhance surveillance of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses in our community. Laredo Health will become a part of the CDC Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network to collect data of incidence in our community and therefore make better-informed decisions on services needed.
This grant will support 5 full time positions that will work with key stakeholder organizations to collect data for 4, 8, and 16 year old children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“The number of people with an autism diagnosis has risen rapidly over the last 30 years. Today, approximately 1 in every 36 children is diagnosed with autism,” said Congressman Cuellar. “The ADDM Network allows us to pull local statistics that will eventually lead to data-based solutions to mitigate the spread of autism in our community. I want to thank Mayor Dr. Victor Treviño, Dr. Chamberlain, and the rest of the City of Laredo Health Department for their commitment to the fight against autism. As a Co-Chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus and a House Appropriations Committee member, I remain committed to increasing funding for autism research and programs that serve those with diagnosed autism.”
“It is important to enhance public health surveillance of autism in medically underserved communities to provide estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD),” said the Mayor of Laredo Dr. Victor Treviiño. “This also allows us to identify disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. This allows us to provide information to the community, request resources and service needs, increase ASD awareness, and reduce barriers to ASD identification.”
“It is imperative that we prioritize enhancing public health surveillance for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Accurate and timely surveillance data is critical to informing effective prevention strategies, identifying at-risk populations, and improving access to diagnostic and treatment services. By investing in autism surveillance, we can better understand the impact of this complex disorder and work towards creating a society that is inclusive, accepting, and supportive of individuals with autism and their families,” said City Laredo Health Department Director Dr. Richard Chamberlain.
