Step By Steps Outreach Program helps individuals with autism generalize and maintain skills taught during day services in the natural environment. Worthington, Ohio (PRWEB) April 02, 2013 The goal of the outreach program is to empower families with the knowledge they need to promote the maximum amount of growth and success for their child. The Step By Step Outreach Program offers support to staff and professionals involved in the consumers case, including, but not limited to, developing comprehensive behavior plans and training. The outreach program helps to generalize and maintain skills taught during day services in the students natural environment, participating in Step By Steps center-based behavioral intervention services. The service is identified as a medically necessary treatment for these students, as it relates to the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Step By Step Outreach Program is being offered as a response to the growing level of need in the local and surrounding communities and the request from parents for additional support to maintain the consistency of learning for the student. Because the mission of Step By Step is to help children with autism develop skills needed to excel within the community, in their families and in life, … Continue reading →

Public release date: 2-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Phyllis Brown phyllis.brown@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu 916-734-9023 University of California - Davis Health System Autism researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have received a prestigious $13 million award from the National Institutes of Health to establish an Autism Center of Excellence and Treatment Network, making the MIND Institute one of only nine such centers in the United States. Announced on World Autism Awareness Day, the Autism Center of Excellence, or ACE, award underwrites a research program aimed at advancing the quality, pace and coordination of autism research and is led by Sally J. Rogers, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and principal investigator. Rogers will collaborate with scientists at Vanderbilt University, Nashville; the University of Washington, Seattle and Harvard to conduct the research. The award will support two separate treatment studies designed to provide the most up-to-date data possible on the most effective methods of treating very young children with autism. "While progress in research on autism spectrum disorder has been rapid, complex questions remain about the causes of these disorders, how to detect them very early, and how to intervene most effectively," said National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director … Continue reading →

LANSING, MI Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was wrong to deny coverage for a certain autism treatment, a U.S. district court judgeruled. The Detroit-based insurer rejected claims for applied behavior analysis, contending the autism treatment was investigative or experimental. Judge Stephen J. Murphy III ruled last week that the basis for denial was arbitrary and capricious and sent the claims back for reconsideration. The ruling could impact about 500 families who had to pay for coverage out of pocket since 2010, said Troy attorney Gerard Mantese, who represented parents of autistic children in the class-action suit. He estimated it could amount to some $5 million in payments from Blue Cross. This ruling is great news for hundreds of families who are working hard to provide a great life for their children who have autism, he said. Blue Cross has not decided whether it will appeal. We understand the concern and are very sympathetic to the challenges of families dealing with autism, Blue Cross spokeswoman Helen Stojic said in a statement. She said it was the first Michigan health plan to offer a rider for ABA starting in May 2009. Mantese argued that families shouldnt have had to get a … Continue reading →

CDR recommends newest treatment Eliquis -SSAO urges provinces to act quickly to reimburse OTTAWA, April 3, 2013 /CNW/ - The Stroke Survivors Association of Ottawa welcomes the recent positive recommendation by the Common Drug Review (CDR) which recommends that provinces pay for Eliquis (apixaban) to prevent strokes in people with atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart disorder which greatly increases the risk of disabling and fatal strokes. Eliquis is a new anti-blood clotting therapy which was approved by Health Canada in December 2012. This recommendation for Eliquis by the CDR represents an important milestone and is key for patients in order for them to have access to it through their provincial public drug plan. "The positive CDR recommendation is a good first step in the process of getting access for patients, but it is not binding so we need provinces to move quickly to put the recommendation into effect for the benefit of patients," said Janet McTaggart, Executive Director of the Stroke Survivors Association of Ottawa. "The more Canadians with AF who are on effective anti-blood clotting therapy, the fewer disabling and fatal strokes we will have. It's vital the provinces move quickly." Disconnect with Canadian guidelines While the CDR recognizes … Continue reading →