Congratulations California. You are one step closer to providing evidence-based autism interventions to individuals in need.

Although Governor Brown’s signature set the wheels in motion, there are still many unknowns. As a service provider, it is important that your voice is heard to finalize the specifics of SB 946 (e.g., age cap, hours cap, authorized providers).

Marty Omoto, Director of the California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN), provided us with a list of ways you can participate in the final development of SB 946.


Step 1: Contact State Agencies
Write letters to the heads of the Department of Insurance and Department of Managed Care urging them to keep you informed on proposed regulations and implementation steps related to SB 946. Express your interest and concerns about how implementation is carried out and note that you have ideas and suggestions on the matter. More importantly, please let them know that you are interested in participating on the Autism Advisory Task Force.

Insurance companies will lobby strongly inside these agencies to seek implementation plans advantageous to their operations. As providers, they need to hear your ideas as well!

You can send letters to both agencies at:

Step 2: Contact State Representatives
Contact your local congressional and senate representatives. Mr. Omoto suggests that you “ask them to keep you informed of any implementation steps for SB 946; more importantly, ask them if they could find out how the Autism Task Force will be set up and could they put your name forward for consideration”.

Although this may at first seem like a strange request to your legislator, persistence will help your representatives realize how important this subject is to their constituents.

You can find the names, addresses and phone numbers for your assembly members and senators at - www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.

Be sure to ask families and colleagues to call their representatives too!


Step 3: Get a Seat on the Autism Advisory Task Force
You have a shot at this –

1. The Department of Insurance and Department of Managed Care must set up an Autism Task Force before February 1, 2012 to address several issues, including –

   1. Evidence-based interventions

   2. Measurable treatment outcomes

   3. Patient selection, monitoring and duration of therapy

   4. Qualifications, training and supervision of providers

   5. Adequacy of the network of providers

2. SB946 does not have specific guidelines on how the task force is formed – it is up to the director.

This leaves the door open for your involvement.

Mr. Omoto says that the task force should be made up of other government agencies, departments, advocates, autism experts, health plan and health insurer representatives and "other entities and stakeholders that it deems appropriate..." 

Let these agencies (and your local representatives) know that you want to be part of the Autism Advisory Task Force.


Step 4: Stay Up-To-Date

Sign up for SB946 email alerts through –

• California Disability Community Action Network (CDCAN) and California Association for Behavior Analysis (CalABA)

• Department of Insurance

• Department of Managed Care

Our team developed a simple task list to help you advocate for a fair final version of SB946.

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