URGENT!! - Testimony Needed to Keep Dylan's Law Alive

Aloha,

We found out that other bill SB2738 is scheduled for a hearing this Friday, February 1, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. in conference room 016.

The hearing for the WRONG bill (SB2738) will be on Friday at 1:15 at in Room 116 of the State Capitol. Please write testimony saying that while you appreciate the intent of the bill, it does not meet the needs of the children with autism and that Dylan's Law SB2532 is the bill of choice for the autism community - and please schedule a hearing for Dylan's Law.

Please do one the following:

1) take one copy of testimony to the committee clerk in room 215 of the State Capitol,

2) fax it in to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6659 (toll free for neighbor islands) at least 24 hours prior to the hearing and indicate the committee and the date and time of the hearing,

3) email to the Legislature's Public Access Room at testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov and indicate the committee and date and time of the hearing. If you have questions call 586-6363.

The Senate Health Committee Chair is Senator David Ige and the Vice Chair is Senator Carol Fukunaga. See the Hearing Notice at the bottom of this email.
Please include in your testimony:

From Autism Speaks, the main points are:
1) SB2738 (the OTHER bill) does not define any of the treatments it
mandates. In particular, "rehabilitation care" and "therapeutic
care" could mean just about anything (or worse, nothing). ALL the
terms in the statutes should be defined.

SB2532 Dylan's Law does
defines all the identified treatments, including "habilitation".

Insurance companies currently do not cover most speech sessions because the policies do not cover "habilitation" (for instance gaining the ability to speak or developing new words) but only "rehabilitation" (recovering skills).

2) SB2738 (the OTHER bill) does not specifically mandate ABA.

Dylan's Law mandates ABA and defines this intervention. ABA has a decades-long record of efficacy. Although ABA is the single intervention most often sought
by parents of children with autism, insurers frequently deny it as a
benefit.

3) SB2738 (the OTHER bill) authorizes the Department of Health (DOH) to determine medically necessary treatments for autism. This completely inappropriate, because each child is different; each case is different.

Dylan's Law mandates that a a licensed physician, psychologist or nurse practitioner determine the treatment intervention.

SB2738 (the OTHER bill) is no guarantee that persons with autism will
get the coverage they desperately need. Without the specific
language of Dylan's Law SB2532, the promise of help for families may
never be realized.

Thank you so much for all of your support. Send it in even if it's less than 24 hours before the hearing.


TEMPLATE or Sample Letter (Feel free to copy and paste)

Via email: testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
Subject: Health Committe, 2/1/08, 1:15 p.m.


Via Fax 586-6659

TO: Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office

From: Your Name

Date: Today's date

Subject: Hearing - SB2738

We appreciate the intent of SB2738, however, it does not meet the needs of children with autism. Dylan's Law, SB2532 is the bill that the autism community is supporting. We request a hearing for Dylan's Law.

The Autism community has concerns regarding SB2738 for the following reasons:

1) SB2738 does not define any of the treatments it mandates. In particular, "rehabilitation care" and "therapeutic
care" could mean just about anything (or worse, nothing). ALL the
terms in the statutes should be defined.

2) SB2738 does not specifically mandate ABA which has a decades-long record of efficacy.

3) SB2738 authorizes the Department of Health (DOH) to determine medically necessary treatments for autism. This is completely inappropriate, because each child is different; each case is different. A treatment protocol or intervention should be determined by licensed medical professional.

There is no guarantee that persons with autism will get the coverage under SB2738without the specific language of Dylan's Law SB2532, the promise of help for families may never be realized.

Sincerely,
Your name


fyi

Committe Chairs

David Y. Ige
16th Senatorial District
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 215
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
phone 808-586-6230; fax 808-586-6231
E-mail sendige@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Carol Fukunaga
11th Senatorial District
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 216
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
phone 808-586-6890; fax 808-586-6899
e-mail: senfukunaga@Capitol.hawaii.gov