The Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders was appointed to advise and make recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and relevant state agencies regarding matters concerning all ASD services, including healthcare, education, and other adult and adolescent services.
Specifically, the Commission is charged with making recommendations for developing a comprehensive state plan for an integrated system of training, treatment, and services for individuals of all ages with autism spectrum disorders.
In preparing the state plan a comprehensive, coordinated system of care for ASD in Missouri, the Commission shall specifically perform the following responsibilities and report on them accordingly, in conjunction with state agencies and the Office of Autism Services:
1. Study and report on the means for developing a coordinated system of care delivery across the state to address the increased and increasing presence of ASD and ensure that resources are created, well-utilized, and appropriately spread across the state;
2. Determine the need for the creation of additional Centers for Diagnostic Excellence in designated sectors of the state, which could provide clinical services, including assessment, diagnoses, and treatment of patients;
3. Plan for effectively evaluating regional service areas throughout the state and their capacity, including outlining personnel and skills that exist within the service area, other capabilities that exist, and resource needs that may be unmet;
4. Assess the need for additional behavioral intervention capabilities and, as necessary, the means for expanding those capabilities in a regional service area;
5. Develop recommendations for expanding these services in conjunction with hospitals after considering the resources that exist in terms of specialty clinics and hospitals, and hospital inpatient care capabilities;
6. Conduct an assessment of the need for coordinated, enhanced and targeted special education capabilities within each region of the state;
7. Develop a recommendation for enlisting appropriate universities and colleges to ensure support
and collaboration in developing certification or degree programs for students specializing in ASD intervention. This may include degree programs in education, special education, social work,
and psychology;
8. Provide recommendations regarding training programs and the content of training programs
being developed;
9. Recommend individuals to participate in a committee of major stakeholders charged with developing screening, diagnostic, assessment, and treatment standards for Missouri;
10. Participate in recommending a panel of qualified professionals and experts to review existing models of evidence-based educational practices for adaptation specific to Missouri;
11. Examine the barriers to accurate information of the prevalence of individuals with ASD across the state and recommend a process for accurate reporting of demographic data;
12. Explore the need for the creation of interagency councils and evaluation of current councils to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated system of care for all individuals with ASD.
