Michigan, Detroit – After years of legislative struggle to expand coverage for the care of children with autism in the state’s healthcare policy, advocates for better autism care in the state of Michigan found an ally in the person of Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.
Calley is one of the very few legislators who was willing to break their silence and speak up about their personal journey with the developmental condition, as well as other neurological conditions in general.
Michigan finally passed a bill that aims to expand insurance coverage for the care of children and individuals with autism in 2012 with the help of Gov. Rick Snyder, despite the many barriers it faced since the time it was conceived. But the challenge did not stop there.
While the highly-coveted bill is already being implemented, residents of Michigan find themselves in a waiting time period that ranges from a month to up to two years, due to the fact that there are still very few providers and approved specialized centers that can cater to the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as providing diagnosis and developing treatment plans.
Despite the difficulties in the bill’s implementation however, the mere fact that it is already being implemented is a huge leap for the people of Michigan.
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Contributed by Althea Estrella Violeta