S.Amdt. 5618

1. Adds SEC. 722. REPORT ON 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. 722. REPORT ON MILITARY FAMILY AUTISM SUPPORT CENTERS.

   Inserted: (a) Report Required.--Not later than February 1, 2009, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the feasability and advisability of establishing one or more military family autism support centers beginning in fiscal year 2010.

   Inserted: (b) Purposes.--For purposes of the report required by subsection (a), the proposed purposes of the centers described in that subsection are as follows:

   Inserted: (1) To provide diagnostic services and therapy to children of military families diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and related disorders.

   Inserted: (2) To provide support services to the families of military dependent children diagnosed with autism.

   Inserted: (3) 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) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

   Inserted: (1) An assessment of the feasability of designating the Marine Corps or other Military Department as the lead agent in the establishment and operation of centers described in subsection (a).

   Inserted: (2) An assessment of the feasability of establishing one of the centers on the East Coast of the United States and one on the West Coast of the United States.

   Inserted: (3) A description of the proposed capabilities of the centers, including the following:

   Inserted: (A) The number of therapists that could be trained at such centers each year.

   Inserted: (B) The number of children who could receive diagnosis and therapy at such centers each year.

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   Inserted: (C) The average number of hours per week that therapy could be provided at such centers.

   Inserted: (D) The nature of therapy that could be provided at such centers.

   Inserted: (E) The anticipated contribution of such centers to military readiness and retention.

   Inserted: (F) The efficacy of such centers in meeting the needs of military families with children with a diagnosis of autism.

   Inserted: (4) A description of the resources required for such centers.

   Inserted: (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--

   Inserted: (1) any center established for the purposes specified in subsection (b) should be located in a geographic area in which military families from all the Armed Forces could conveniently access the services available through such centers;

   Inserted: (2) in discharging its purposes under subsection (b), each center should utilize in the diagnosis and treatment of children of military families with autism medical, educational, and developmental therapies that have been successfully used to treat autistic children; and

   Inserted: (3) for purposes of assisting in the training of therapists under this section, the Secretary of Defense should, 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.

   Original wording

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

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As printed