Autism CARES Act

The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support Act (Autism CARES Act) is the primary source of federal funding for autism research, services, training, and monitoring. 

Over the past two decades, over $5.2 billion has been dedicated for autism at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) because of the Autism CARES Act.

Originally passed in 2006, the Autism CARES Act has been the primary driver of progress in our understanding of autism as well as the development and dissemination of support for autistic people across the spectrum and lifespan. 

Autism Speaks has worked tirelessly with Congress to renew and expand this bipartisan legislation's transformative work with each iteration of the law. The current version - the Autism CARES Act of 2024 - was signed into law on December 23, 2024.

Learn more about the Autism CARES Act of 2024.

Because of Autism CARES, scientific developments have

• Set a reliable diagnosis age of 18-24 months
• Established that timely interventions make a lifetime of difference
• Identified co-morbidities
• Increased understanding of biological causes of autism
• Identified genes and possible medication targets
• Developed early-career autism researchers

Because of our advocacy in support of the Autism CARES Act,

• Over $5.2 billion in autism research and training programs have been funded since 2007.
• In 2024, $306 million was devoted to over 700 autism research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health.
• There is a $100 million Autism Centers of Excellence program, accelerating research on important areas of need, including early identification, aging, psychiatric conditions related to autism, underserved populations and health inequities, female diagnoses, and mental health in autistic adults.
• 60 LEND program sites across the country are training future health professionals how to provide better health care services to autistic individuals.
• 13 sites across the country have received funding to train future developmental behavioral pediatricians, helping address the national shortage of DBPs who specialize in care for autistic children.
• The ADDM network continues to monitor autism prevalence and other important information about the characteristics and demographics of autistic children. With the support of our advocacy, it also saw its first expansion in over a decade. 
• There are 2 Autism Intervention Research Networks, focused on key areas of research and translating research into clinical best practices and resources for families. The Autism Intervention Research Network for Physical Health’s (AIR-P) promotes the health and well-being of autistic individuals across the life course, with a focus on increasing life expectancy, improving the healthcare experience, and optimizing physical health. The Autism Intervention Research Network on Behavioral Health (AIR-B) uses evidence-based research to provide autism community members with tools proven to make an impact.
• The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) continues to serve as a federal advisory committee that coordinates federal efforts, provides advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues related to autism spectrum disorder, and publishes an annual strategic plan for federal autism efforts.

The Autism CARES Act of 2014 also required a report to Congress on the current state of adult services.  The 2017 Report to Congress: “Young Adults and Transitioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder” addressed the where gaps exist and how to address those needs.