Autism Resources

Center in Boise Closes

It takes resources to help people on the spectrum. The Idaho Center for Autism closed its doors because of an issue with resources. The center's director, Stephanie Spencer told KTVB that insurance companies are not required to cover therapy for autism. That means many families are dependent on Medicaid to cover the cost. According to Spencer, how the state covers autism through medicaid has been changing. Students were seeing a therapist two to four hours a week. "It simply is not enough to make progress."

It will be up the schools and parents to pick the slack.

More People Need to Care

This would all change if more people were aware of the need for funding to diversify revenue sources for autism treatment programs like the one in Boise. A starting point would be the realization that contributions to large charities like Autism Speaks do not directly benefit treatment centers like The Idaho Center for Autism.