Record Autism Continues in California: New Report
[From Rick Rollens.]
The California Department of Developmental Services has recentlyreported yet another all time record number of children enteringCalifornia’s developmental services system who have received a professionaldiagnosis of DSM IV autism, not including PDD, NOS, Asperger’s, or any otherautism spectrum disorder such as rare genetic diseases like Fragile X.
The most recent quarterly report from the Department shows that duringthe period from April 4 - July 5, 2002 California added 846 new children with level one DSM IV autism to it’s system. The 846 new cases represents anall time record number of new cases for a quarterly report in the 31 year history of the system. The new report represents an 18% increase in new cases over the same quarter last year, and has established once again that autism is the number one disability entering California’s developmental services system…accounting for 40% of all the intakes.. a percentage that has rapidly grown over the years from 3% (prior to 1979-80) to an unbelievable 40% today.
California is adding on average, 9 new children a day, seven days a week. (When I testified before Congress 3 1/2 years ago in August 1999, we were adding 5 new kids a day, seven days a week).
Over the 28 year period from 1971, the first year autism was added to California’s system, to 1999, California had brought in 10,206 cases of autism into it’s system. During the past 3 1/2 years, 1999 to July, 2002, California has added an additional 8,554 new cases, and is now serving 18,460 cases of level one autism.