OCALI raises autism awareness at White House summit

A representative from the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence participated in a national summit on autism spectrum disorders at the White House.

In April, Jill Hudson, OCALI’s coordinator of national, state and community partnerships, said it was an honor to represent the agency, which is part of the ESC of Central Ohio.

“It was really humbling, overwhelming and exciting to be part of that group of people,” Hudson said. “To provide that information to the Obama administration, it will make a difference – a difference in the lives of people with autism.”

Hudson was one of 70 people who attended the summit, which was in recognition of National Autism Awareness Month. Attendees included self-advocates, parents, researchers, educators and practitioners.

“Each of us contributed to the conversation,” Hudson said. “The ideas from our discussions will impact and influence the revision and reauthorization of the Combating Autism Act.”

OCALI will hold a National Autism Leadership Summit in conjunction with its own conference in November. The summit will bring together national partners and focus on the alignment and integration of systems, paralleling the conversation at the White House event.

“Our presence at the White House event underscores the work we’re doing at OCALI and across the field of autism. It confirmed that we’re going in the right direction,” Hudson said. “It makes me proud to be part of OCALI. We’re not just doing good work in Ohio, but across the country.”

In December 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report, concluding that the prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every 110 births in the United States and almost 1 in 70 boys. Currently, there are 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of autism spectrum disorder.

To help people affected by autism, Hudson said it’s important to stress interagency collaboration.

“The work we do is because of the individuals and families,” Hudson said. “We want individuals with autism to be active, productive and contributing members of their community. Ultimately, it’s about trying to promote a better quality of life for the individuals and the families, supporting good work in Ohio and influencing the national dialogue.”