[Note: Shared for #AutisticHistory archive purposes. This is NOT An Autistic Ally.]

AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 11, 2013

AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 14, 2013

SENATE BILLNo. 208

Introduced by Senator Lara

February 8, 2013

An act to add Section 4648.11 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to developmental services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 208, as amended, Lara. Developmental services: request for proposals.

Under existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, the State Department of Developmental Services is authorized to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities. The services and supports to be provided to a regional center consumer are contained in an individual program plan (IPP), developed in accordance with prescribed requirements. Existing law authorizes the regional center to, among other things, solicit an individual or agency, by requests for proposals (RFPs) or other means, to provide needed services or supports that are not available to achieve the stated objectives of a consumer’s IPP.

This bill would establish the Equity and Diversity in Developmental Services Act, and would require a request for proposals that is prepared by the department or by a regional center and that relates to consumer programs or services and supports to include a section on issues of equity and diversity, as specified.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2 1

SECTION 1.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares the
2following:~~begin delete~~

3(a) Recent and emerging evidence in the number of children
4diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in California
5and in the United States indicates that ASDs have reached a level
6of public health crisis that must be addressed.~~end delete~~~~begin delete~~7(b)~~end delete~~

8begin insert(end insertbegin inserta)end insert The State Department of Developmental Services and the
9regional center system provide treatment, habilitation, and other
10services to Californians with developmental disabilities so that
11they may lead more independent, productive, and integrated lives.~~begin delete~~

12(c)~~end delete~~

13begin insert(end insertbegin insertb)end insert California, where diverse communities account for about
1460 percent of the population, is now a “majority minority” state.~~begin delete~~

15(d)~~end delete~~

16begin insert(end insertbegin insertc)end insert The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act
17requires that a person who receives services from a regional center
18must have programs, services, and supports that are “person
19centered” and that are based on the specific assessment and needs
20of each consumer.~~begin delete~~

21(e)~~end delete~~

22begin insert(end insertbegin insertd)end insert Therefore, services provided to regional center consumers
23should be provided in a linguistically and culturally competent
24manner that promotes equity and diversity for all Californians.

SEC. 2.

Section 4648.11 is added to the Welfare and
26Institutions Code, to read:

4648.11.

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as
28the Equity and Diversity in Developmental Services Act.

29(b) A request for proposals that is prepared by the department
30or by a regional center and that relates to consumer programs or
31services and supports shall include a section on issues of equity
32and diversity.

33(c) The section on equity and diversity shall request, but not be
34limited to, all of the following:

35(1) A statement outlining the applicant’s plan to serve diverse
36populations.

37(2) Examples of the applicant’s commitment to addressing the
38needs of diverse populations.

P3 1(3) Any additional information that the applicant deems relevant
2to issues of equity and diversity, including hiring bilingual staff,
3location of the program site, outreach strategies for underserved
4communities, and training and other materials in various languages
5and that are provided in a manner that is linguistically and
6culturally competent.

7(4) Nothing in this section shall alter contracts entered into on
8or before January 1, 2014.

Note/Warning:

Autistic people have fought the inclusion of ABA in therapy for us since before Autism Speaks, and other non-Autistic-led autism organizations, started lobbying legislation to get it covered by insurances and Medicaid.

ABA is a myth originally sold to parents that it would keep their Autistic child out of an institution. Today, parents are told that with early intervention therapy their child will either be less Autistic or no longer Autistic by elementary school, and can be mainstreamed in typical education classes. ABA is very expensive to pay out of pocket. Essentially, Autism Speaks has justified the big price tag up front will offset the overall burden on resources for an Autistic’s lifetime. The recommendation for this therapy is 40 hours a week for children and toddlers.

The original study that showed the success rate of ABA to be at 50% has never been replicated. In fact, the study of ABA by United States Department of Defense was denounced as a failure. Not just once, but multiple times. Simply stated: ABA doesn’t work. In study after repeated study: ABA (conversion therapy) doesn’t work.

What more recent studies do show: Autistics who experienced ABA therapy are at high risk to develop PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions. Historically, the autism organizations promoting ABA as a cure or solution have silenced Autistic advocates’ opposition. ABA is also known as gay conversion therapy.

The ‘cure’ for Autistics not born yet is the prevention of birth.

The ‘cure’ is a choice to terminate a pregnancy based on ‘autism risk.’ The cure is abortion. This is the same ‘cure’ society has for Down Syndrome.

This is eugenics 2021. Instead of killing Autistics and disabled children in gas chambers or ‘mercy killings’ like in Aktion T4, it’ll happen at the doctor’s office, quietly, one Autistic baby at a time. Different approaches yes, but still eugenics and the extinction of an entire minority group of people.

Fact: You can’t cure Autistics from being Autistic.

Fact: You can’t recover an Autistic from being Autistic.

Fact: You can groom an Autistic to mask and hide their traits. Somewhat. … however, this comes at the expense of the Autistic child, promotes Autistic Burnout (this should not be confused with typical burnout, Autistic Burnout can kill Autistics), and places the Autistic child at high risk for PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions.

[Note: Autism is NOT a disease, but a neurodevelopmental difference and disability.]

Fact: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism.