Missouri Autism Rapid response Initiative
Could My Child Have Autism? (Brochure) 
| Central Missouri Resource Brochure
Southwest MO Resource Brochure
Missouri State House of Delegates Physician's Resolution| Rapid Response Members
What do we know about Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disabilities defined primarily by significant delays in social interaction and communication.
- Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that appears during the first three years of life. Recent studies have shown that ASD can be diagnosed as early as 18 months.
- Autism prevalence rates are now 1 in 150. This equates to 1 to 1.5 million Americans, and over 34,000 Missourians.
- The federal Department of Education reports that the rate of diagnosis is increasing at a rate of 10-17% per year.
- Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and is four times more likely to occur in boys than girls.
- The cost to society to care for individuals with autism is $35 billion per year. The cost to take care of a person with autism over his or her lifetime is estimated at $3.2 million.
- If 100 children were given early intensive intervention and 40 of them had only partial improvement, the public would save $9.5 million over their school years, ages 3 to 22.
- There are no cures for ASD, but early diagnosis and interventions are a child’s best hope for reaching his or her full potential.
What is Missouri’s response?
The Missouri Autism Rapid Response Initiative is a model program sponsored by the Department of Mental Health, Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, that will be piloted in central Missouri for children ages 0-5 years. Parents and public and private agencies are working in partnership to develop a collaborative, community-based program focused on early diagnosis and intervention. The program aims to:
- decrease wait times for diagnosis and interventions
- provide family members with education and supports during the diagnostic process and immediately afterwards
- increase the number of children who are routinely screened for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
What are Missouri’s next steps?
By June 2007, a brochure for the pilot area will be distributed to families and other key agencies (e.g. physicians, Parents as Teachers, service coordinators) with clear instructions about where to get help. In addition, families will receive immediate information on support groups and autism education options.
Ongoing work under this initiative includes developing specially trained “autism service coordinators,” increasing the availability of quality early diagnosis and interventions, and educating service funders on effective developmental screenings. As resources become available, families will need similar models throughout Missouri.
Autism Has High Cost to U.S. Society, press release April 25, 2006; M. Ganz, Harvard School of Public Health
The New York Times (nytimes.com), October 22, 2002, Autism Therapy is Called Effective, but Rare by Laurie Tarkan
See Missouri’s Autism Research and Response Agenda, July 2002, www.dmh.mo.gov/mrdd/progs/autism/mara
