SB 57

Here's my first (small) stab at activism. A bill, SB 57, has passed committee and will be put up to vote in the state senate soon. This is an email I just sent to our senator.

Dear Senator,

I am writing to express my support in S.B. 57, in hopes that you will support it as well.

I am a mother to Bug, an almost-three-year-old who was diagnosed with mild to moderate autism in October 2013. Our diagnosis journey started in May. Since then, life has been a whirlwind of evaluations, therapy appointments, in-home visits, office consultations, and tears.

However, amidst the pain and stress that an autism diagnosis inevitably brings, we know we are fortunate. Because I am a stay-at-home mom, we could attend last-minute evaluation openings that we otherwise would have had to wait months for. We have family members willing to babysit at nearly any hour we need them. We have friends who can watch our younger son during appointments so Bug can be our focus. We have savings, insurance to cover some of the costs of many evaluations, and the financial support of family members.

Not all families in Utah affected by autism have these supports. I can’t imagine what life is like for them. Even in our financial stability, we seriously considered moving as soon as the autism diagnosis became official. Effective autism treatment can costs tens of thousands per year, not including the cost of additional therapies, appropriate developmental aids and toys, and any specialist visits that may be needed. The numbers were so daunting we felt it might be well worth our time to move to a state that would extend insurance coverage to cover some of those costs. We eventually decided that we would remain in Utah where we have already established our home, in hopes that things might change here.

All parents want to see their children succeed; that desire is magnified when your child has special needs.  Every tiniest bit of progress, every small step in the forward direction brings the greatest of joys. We have felt that joy over and over again with Bug as he works with his various therapists. Throughout his eight months in therapy, we have seen his vocabulary grow from 10-15 words to four-word sentences. We have seen his overall mood and demeanor change from highly irritable to genuinely happy and curious. Perhaps most importantly, we have been able to learn how Bug interacts with the world through the help of caring therapists and other professionals.

Again, not every family affected by autism here in Utah is so fortunate. While every parent wants to see this kind of progress in their own families, it’s not always possible to receive the care needed to get there. While state programs have made a difference to Bug, we have had to pay thousands of dollars ourselves as well – money that many families simply can’t spare. The reality is that while autism is a lifelong diagnosis, early, intensive treatment can make a world of difference to children and families faced with it. We have seen this ourselves. We know that every penny we have spent towards Bug’s care means more developmental progress. Every penny means more happiness, contentment, and peace in our home. Every penny means my son will grow to his fullest potential and be able to show the world how wonderful he is.

That’s what this bill would do for thousands of other children in Utah. Every penny toward the treatment of autism means more children who make leaps and bounds in their development, who bring uncounted joys to their families and communities, and who are able to grow to show the world what talented, caring, and intelligent people they are.

Support S.B. 57 and support the many children in Utah like (and including) Bug. Urge your peers to do the same.

If you'd like to know more about this bill, go here, here, or here!