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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Gutierrez, J

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/22/08

HB 63

SHORT TITLE Services for Autistic Persons

SB

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$6,725.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

FY10

$7,070.5

Recurring

Federal

Medicaid

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY08

FY09

FY10 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

$65.0

$65.0

$130.0 Recurring

General

Fund and

Federal

Medicaid

split

evenly

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

House Bill 63 – Page

2

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Human Services Department (HSD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Public Education Department (PED)

Higher Education Department (HED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 63 appropriates $6.75 million from the General Fund to the following agencies for the

purpose of supporting a variety of autism spectrum disorder services.

To the Human Services Department (HSD) a total of $4,525.0

•

$2,900.0 to support specific treatment services for Medicaid-eligible recipients with

autism;

•

$100.0 to extend the study group created by last year’s SB197 to expand stakeholder

representation and to conduct public forums to identify regional needs and priorities;

•

$175.0 to study service needs and best practices treatments for high-functioning adults

with autism spectrum disorder who do not meet the criteria for developmental disability;

•

$1,000.0 for the behavioral health collaborative’s development of a flex-funding program

for the autism spectrum disorder population; and

•

$350.0 of the total amount would be appropriated to HSD for behavioral health

collaborative seed money for development of in-state residential treatment centers for the

autism spectrum population.

To the Department of Health (DOH) a total of $1,200.0

•

1,000.0 to support statewide diagnostic and autism spectrum disorder-specific groups in a

minimum of four counties for specific treatment services for persons who are not eligible

for Medicaid; and

•

$200.0 for the creation and implementation of a statewide autism spectrum disorder

surveillance and registration program in a minimum of four counties.

To the Higher Education Department a total of $1,000.0

•

$1,000.0 to development and implement pre-service programs focusing on best practice

interventions for person with autism spectrum disorder

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $6.725 million contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to

the General fund.

HSD estimates that the $2.9 million appropriated for Medicaid eligible individuals and services

will create $7.07 million of federal Medicaid revenue.

HSD estimates an annual continuing operational cost of $65 thousand that would be the

equivalent of approximately 1 FTE.

House Bill 63 – Page

3

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

HSD projects that $2.9 million GF would provide service to 800 children for 6 months and $5.8

million in GF is needed to serve 800 children for 1 year.

DOH notes that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) placed the prevalence of ASD at 1 in 150

of children from birth to 21 years of age. Based on the CDC guide, approximately 3,000 New

Mexico children have some level of ASD. The National Institute of Mental Health states, “One

point that most professionals agree on is that early intervention is important; another is that most

individuals with ASD respond well to highly structured, specialized programs."

DOH continues an appropriation for specific services to persons with ASD would enable the

Department of Health to expand Adaptive Skills Building services for individuals who are not

eligible for Medicaid. Adaptive Skills Building services focus on evidence-based practices that

have shown to be highly effective at mitigating the effects of the core challenges of ASD. These

services have the potential to maximize an individual’s potential to live independently with

improved quality of life as the ASD individual ages. Additionally, the appropriation for

diagnostic services would enable the Department of Health to expand diagnostic services. The

UNM Center for Development and Disability currently provides multidisciplinary diagnostic

evaluations to approximately 225 children per year. No source of evaluation for adults currently

exists. This appropriation would enable these evaluations to be expanded to adults, many of

whom have never been diagnosed. There is currently a waiting list for children to receive such a

diagnostic evaluation.

PED reports that the increase in the number of children who are being diagnosed as having

autism leads to an increased number of adults who have autism. According to (Adults with

Autism, 2008), a national autistic society survey shows that out of 450 children and adults who

have autism, 70% are unable to live independently, 49% live with family members, and 6% hold

full-time jobs. Adults with autism are in need of treatment programs which focus on improving

family life, self-perception, self-esteem, confidence, ability to compete in employment

opportunities, ability to live in the least restricted environment, and the ability to decrease mental

health issues, (Adults with Autism, 2008).

Adults and children who have autism oftentimes have difficulties with social interaction, motor

skills, and coordination, (High Functioning Adult Autism, 2007). They are oftentimes

categorized as having High-functioning autism and Low-functioning autism. High-Functioning

autism is defined as an informal term applied to individuals with autism having an IQ of 80 or

above, and the ability to speak, read, and write (High Functioning Adult Autism, 2007).

Currently, funds are available for families who have children or adults living at home with

autism. These programs include Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental

Security Income (SSI), and Medicaid waivers, (High Functioning Adult Autism, 2007). Many

living arrangements are also available for adults and children who have autism. These include:

foster homes, skill-development homes, supervised group living, institutions, day programs, and

day habilitation, (High Functioning Adult Autism, 2007). According to the article, (High

Functioning Adult Autism, 2007), it has been the trend to avoid placing persons with disabilities

into long-term-care institutions, but today’s facilities view their residents as individuals who

have human needs, and they are offered opportunities for recreation and fun.

MW/bb