The Autism Omnibus Law

In August 2014, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted landmark legislation Ch. 226 of the Acts of 2014, the “Autism Omnibus Law”. The statute established the Autism Commission as a permanent entity and is comprised of 35 members.

In August 2014, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted landmark legislation Ch. 226 of the Acts of 2014, the “Autism Omnibus Law”. The statute established the Autism Commission as a permanent entity and is comprised of 35 members.

The Commission is also charged with making recommendations on policies impacting individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and individuals with Smith-Magenis syndrome.

The Commission is charged with investigating the range of services necessary for individuals with ASD to achieve full potential across their lifespan. These issues may include: public education, higher education, job attainment and employment (including supported employment). Other issues are adult services, post-secondary education, independent living, community participation, and housing.

Behavioral services and mental health services are included in this range of service as is access of families of children with autism and adults who are from linguistically and culturally diverse communities. The Commission also files an annual report outlining unmet needs and trends in autism services, including any recommendations for regulatory or legislative action.

The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is the state agency home for individuals on the autism spectrum. The Omnibus Bill directs the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and DDS to work together to provide services to individuals who have both a mental illness and a developmental disability that are eligible for services from both Departments.

• Autism Commission (Chapter 226)

DMH and DDS Interagency Autism Cooperation

This interagency cooperation includes a Fellowship program in graduate medical education at three in-state universities administered jointly by the Division of Clinical and Professional Services at DMH and by DDS. During the past year these programs include autism programs at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

These two medical centers provide fellowship level training in both mental illness and developmental disabilities, where distinguished faculty at all three sites are developing the next generation of practitioner-scientists.

• Massachusetts General Hospital Autism Spectrum Disorder Programs
• UMass Medical Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO)

The DDS-DMH Fellowship Program in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Mental Illness

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) has an established Residency and Fellowship training program for over 30 years that provides grants to most of the psychiatric residencies in Massachusetts with the goal to influence clinical and didactic curricula to support training in public sector and community psychiatry.

The intention of the Autism Fellowships supported by Department of Disability Services (DDS) was both to increase psychiatric practitioners trained to treat individuals with Autism across the life span as well as to provide ongoing training throughout the academic medical centers and related regions about autism spectrum disorders for all levels of healthcare providers.  To operationalize training for nurse practitioners and psychiatrists who will specialize in providing treatment for individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorders, the above training programs developed an Autism Fellowship as part of their general and/or child psychiatric training programs within academic medical centers.