As you might have heard by now, Rep Norton (DFLer) from Rochester who just joined Minnesota Autism Task Force few months ago wants to do away with it and eliminate the whole Autism task force.
She introduced HF- 2282 which passed out of Government Operations Committee chaired by Rep Nelson (DFLer) from district 40A.
Who voted to eliminate and who voted to keep MN ASD TF will be in a different post later. (to say I was speechless would be an understatement by this committee)
Alright, so what does this bill do? and what/how MN ASD Task Force started;
1. HF 2282 eliminates and dismantles Minnesota Autism Task Force created in 2011 and is suppose to sunset in June 2015. It was authored by Sen Senjem – R from Rochester and Rep Mack – R from Apple Valley. It has a charge to write and implement a statewide autism plan. There are 19 members consisting of four legislators, advocates, parents and providers. It has met once a month on most times even though the charge only asked to meet few times a year. It has a draft state plan which still needs lots of work, such as forming subgroups and coming up with a thoughtful and holistic autism plan that benefits and supports children and adults with autism across the spectrum and across lifespan.
2. HF 2282 states state agencies – MDH, DHS, MDE and DEED will implement the autism statewide plan. The problem is it is not final, did not have thoughtful discussion by the members or heard from the public.
3. HF 2282 states diverse, under-served communities will have couple of times per year to be heard. That is too little, not enough and enhances inequality.
4. HF-2282 takes any power and voice from parents and advocates and gives full power to state agencies. In other words, it diminishes parent empowerment.
5. MN Autism task force only has one more year, so why rush it?
6. MN Autism task force costs the state nothing and has zero fiscal note.
7. MN Autism Task Force has given autism community a voice and HF 2282 wants to take it away prematurely.
8. HF 2282 wants to implement a plan that is currently a draft and not ready for prime-time.
9. Autism is very complex medical condition and has many changing parts including the new DSM – 5, over 90 research last year alone that were published and eliminating a volunteer parent based task force that sorted it all will hurt MN autism community immensely.
10. Why the rush to dismantle autism task force that is needed so much and only has a year left anyway?
My take and views are;
1. Let the Minnesota Task Force which costs the state zero continue and do what it was created for, that is to write and IMPLEMENT a statewide autism plan with collaboration from all four state agencies, such as DHS, MDH, MDE and DEED.
2. Afterwards, create a Minnesota Autism Commission that has representatives from both parties to get equality, minorities, rural folks, all four necessary state agencies, ASD therapy providers and researchers that is permanent and has funding allocated for staff.
Therefore, there is absolutely no reason or need to rush, dismantle or eliminate current MN Autism Task Force by force and dictatorship which is exactly what HF 2282 by Rep Norton wan
ts to do.
Finally, what I would like and hoped was if the authors of MN Autism Task Force – Sen Senjem and Rep Mack actually fought for their bill to survive rather than allow Rep Norton bully and eliminate. They say – you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it. I as a parent or even as an advocate can’t fight to save a bill, that is the job of the legislature that created it. It is too bad and sad they don’t fight for their bill.