The Fairfax City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday, Dec. 9 in support of upcoming statewide measures to expand private health insurance coverage to patients under the age of 21 with autism spectrum disorders.

City Council member Dan Drummond, who introduced the resolution, said it was timed to coincide with the upcoming Virginia General Assembly regular session convenes January 15 in Richmond. It is mostly symbolic and carries no binding stipulations within the City of Fairfax.

However, Drummond said the intention of the resolution was to raise awareness about statewide legislation expected to be introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate mandating private insurance companies to provide coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

"The reality is that these kids are our future," said Drummond in an interview with The Connection. "They have the ability and capacity to be just as productive and [lead independent lives]."

The item passed on the consent agenda, part of a package of ordinances and endorsements, including a mutual aid agreement with the Fairfax County Water Authority and the granting of a license to a private company to install a traffic camera in the city. Several residents and business owners addressed the council at the Tuesday, Dec. 9 and urged the passing of both the city resolution and the bills being introduced at the General Assembly. David Miller, owner of La Rue 123 on Chain Bridge Road, used his sons William and Joseph, 8, as an example of those who would benefit from the bill’s passage.

"As a father of two autistic boys, I am very concerned about opportunities to maximize their chances of leading successful productive lives in spite of their disability," said Miller.

Public services dealing with autistic children are not sufficient for most families, he said.

"To a significant degree, families like mine must reach out to the private sector, beyond the educational system to provide additional services [for our children]," said Miller.

Gerard Jones, Fairfax resident and president of the Northern Virginia chapter of the National Autism Association said costs in services last year for his 7-year-old daughter with Asperger’s Syndrome, a disorder within the autism spectrum, exceeded $25,000.

"Autistic children don’t require just a single service, they require multiple services which drives the cost up to our school system," said Jones.

State legislators are expected to vote on an autism insurance mandate during the 2009 regular session. Versions of the bill are slated to be introduced by Dels. Bob Marshall (R-13) and David Poisson (D-32) in the House and Sen. Chap Peterson (D-34) in the Senate.

Del. Tim Hugo (R-40) is chairman of the Mandated Benefits Committee, a joint-sub committee of the General Assembly. Hugo said he was usually not in favor of general mandates but that the autism bill should be considered "exceptional and an exception to the rule." The bill would have to pass through the Commerce Committee before moving to a floor vote, according to Hugo.

"I will be fully supportive of the bill. If we take care of these children now, we not only improve their lives, we keep costs down to the state and families for years to come," he said.

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34) has signed on to the bill as a co-sponsor in the State Senate and said that insurance companies who do business inside Virginia should provide a reasonable amount of coverage for autistic children.

"Believe me, the investments we make early in a child’s life to combat autism will pay great dividends over the duration of their lives," said Petersen.

Hugo said members should look at ways to minimize any additional costs as a result of the coverage, but that ignoring the problem might ultimately lead to higher costs in the future.

"If you don’t help some of these kids when they’re young, they may not have the opportunity to be fully functioning citizens in years to come," he said.

According to a 2006 Center for Disease Control study, approximately one out of every 150 children in the United States has an autism-related disorder. Over 1,800 children in the City of Fairfax have been diagnosed with autism, a rate of 1 for every 91 children, according to a 2007 report by Virginia Department of Education.

Mary Ann Cassell, senior managing supervisor of the Center for Autism Related Disorders in Springfield said that there is no single reason for higher autism rates in the county and the cause could be attributed to a number of factors. A wealthier area like Fairfax County may provide better services and therefore attract more families with Autistic children.

Diagnosis and identification of the developmental disability may also be more accurate in those areas as well.

"Unfortunately, there is no simple answer as to why the rate Autism is higher here than the national average," said Cassell.

In addition to the City of Fairfax, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Leesburg Town Council also passed resolutions supporting the mandate. Supervisor Sharon Bulova (D-Braddock) is expected to introduce a similar resolution when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors reconvenes Jan. 12.