S.Amdt. 5560

1. Adds SEC. 721. MILITARY FAMILY AUTISM SUPPORT CENTERS at the end of subtitle C of title VII

   Adds a section

   In S. 3001 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (B) The definition in section 721(d)(4) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

   Inserted: SEC. 721. MILITARY FAMILY AUTISM SUPPORT CENTERS.

   Inserted: (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish one or more military family autism support centers.

   Inserted: (b) Purposes.--The purposes of each center established under subsection (a) shall be as follows:

   Inserted: (1) To provide diagnostic services and therapy to children of military families diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and related disorders, with such services and therapy to be similar the services and therapy provided by the not-for-profit autism support center located in Columbus, Georgia, which supports military families at Fort Benning, Georgia.

   Inserted: (2) To train therapists to provide treatment to autistic children, with special emphasis placed on training the spouses of members of the Armed Forces to provide such treatment.

   Inserted: (c) Executive Agent.--The Secretary shall designate the Commandant of the Marine Corps as the lead agent in the establishment and operation of centers under subsection (a).

   Inserted: (d) Locations.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--One of the first two centers to be established under subsection (a) shall be established on the East Coast of the United States, and one shall be established on the West Coast of the United States.

   Inserted: (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the center established under paragraph (1) on the East Coast of the United States should be located in the vicinity of Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, and the center established under paragraph (1) on the West Coast of the United States should be located in the vicinity of San Diego, California.

   Inserted: (e) Discharge of Purposes.--In discharging its purposes under this section, each center established under subsection (a) shall utilize in the diagnosis and treatment of children of military families with autism medical, educational, and developmental therapies that have been successfully used to successfully treat autistic children.

   Inserted: (f) Tuition Assistance.--For purposes of assisting in the training of therapists under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, consider the feasability and advisability of establishing a tuition assistance program to facilitate the participation of military spouses in such training.

   Inserted: (g) Reports.--Not later than one year after establishing a center under subsection (a), and one year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on such center. Each report on a center shall set forth the following:

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   Inserted: (1) The number of therapists trained at the center during the preceding year.

   Inserted: (2) The number of children receiving diagnosis and therapy at the center during such year.

   Inserted: (3) The average number of hours per week that therapy was provided at the center during such year.

   Inserted: (4) A description of the nature of therapy provided at the center during such year.

   Inserted: (5) An assessment of the contribution of the center to military readiness and retention during such year.

   Inserted: (6) An assessment of the efficacy of the center during such year.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

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As printed