“The federal government committed tens of millions of dollars to promote research and services for people with autism.
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations recently approved $84 million in total funding for programs dedicated to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodivergent conditions.
“While significant progress has been made in the understanding of autism, large gaps remain in the ability to improve outcomes and access to services for autistic individuals across their lifespan,” the bill read. “As such, the Committee encourages [National Institute of Mental Health] to work collaboratively with [National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities] to support research on the socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic health disparities associated with ASD, and … to support research on the impact of neurological, social and environmental factors leading to co-occurring health conditions.””