NCBDDD Home

Home > Other Federal Activities 

Other Federal Activities

CDC is one of several federal agencies that has projects in place to study autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).  Please click on the links below to read about other federal activities related to ASDs.

• Annual Report to Congress

• Autism Summit Conference: Developing a National Agenda

• Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.)

• Department of Education (DOE)

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

 Annual Report to Congress

The Children's Health Act of 2000 requires that the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services give Congress a report each year that tells how the provisions of the act are being put into place, including activities related to autism spectrum disorders.  The report describes activities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, and other federal agencies.  You can read the following reports, in pdf format, on the NIH Web site:

• December 2003 Report to Congress on Autism Activities

• January 2003 Report to congress on Autism Activities

• February 2002 Report to Congress on Autism Activities

Autism Summit Conference: Developing a National Agenda

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education sponsored a 2 day conference, “Autism Summit Conference: Developing a National Agenda”, in November 2003. The conference addressed topics such as:

• Improving access to services for people with autism throughout their lives

• Early screening and diagnosis

• Biomedical research

Videos of all talks given at the conference can be seen on the Internet. [Read the conference agenda (pdf file)] [See videos of the conference talks]

Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.)

The Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) is the Congressional Autism Caucus.  It was started in 2001  and is the first Congressional Member Organization to focus on ASDs.  C.A.R.E. has members from most states.   [View list of C.A.R.E. members]

C.A.R.E. works to teach members of Congress about ASDs and the related activities and concerns of researchers, advocates, and parents.  The members of C.A.R.E. want to improve research, education, and support services for people who have an ASD.  C.A.R.E. also plans to hold meetings where issues related to ASDs and possible answers to problems can be talked about.

Department of Education (DOE)

Every year, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) writes a report for Congress about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the federal law that supports special education and related services for children and youth with disabilities. The report has information about many aspects of the IDEA program, including characteristics of the students served, programs and services, and policies. You can also see the most recent data about children served under IDEA on the IDEAdata Web site. [View the annual reports to Congress on IDEA] [Go to the IDEAdata Web site]

In 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). This law says that every state must set standards for what children should learn and know in each grade. States must measure and report the progress made toward meeting these standards. The NCLB Web site has more information about the law, including links to state information. [Go to the No Child Left Behind Web site]

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), together with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) at the National Institutes of Health, funds children's' environmental health research centers that study the link between environmental factors and children's health.    [View announcement about new children's environmental health centers]  [Visit EPA home page]

The New Jersey and California centers focus on autism.  [Read about the New Jersey center]  [Read about the California center]

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

The Children's Health Act of 2000 required that a committee be formed to coordinate autism-related activities in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).  The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) began in 2001. Its main role is to help agencies share information and to coordinate autism research and related activities in the agencies that are part of DHHS. 

The IACC includes staff from the following agencies: the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration for Children and Families, the Food and Drug Administration, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Department of Education. The IACC also includes parents of people with ASD. 

The IACC meets twice a year. Meetings are open to the public.

The IACC's Web site has more information about their activities, including: 

• List of people who are on the IACC

• How to sign up for the IACC listserv

• Information about future meetings

• Agendas and notes from past meetings

• Congressional Appropriations Committee Report on the State of Autism Research (April 2004)

[Visit the IACC Web site]

This page last updated Thursday, August 05, 2004

Autism Information Center Home Page  |  About Autism  |  CDC Activities  |  Other Federal Activities  |  State Activities  |  Resources  |  Kids Quest  |  Contact Us

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z
Accessibility | Privacy Policy Notice
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
 

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, and enhances the potential for full, productive living.  Our work includes identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities.