HR 139: urging the DEPARTMENT of education, department of health, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic plan to prepare for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the centers for disease control and prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

urging the DEPARTMENT of education, department of health, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic plan to prepare for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the centers for disease control and prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

     WHEREAS, autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects brain development and unfolds across an individual's lifespan, impacting social communication, behavior, and daily functioning; and

     WHEREAS, autism prevalence has increased dramatically, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimating that one in thirty-six children in the United States is affected, up from one in one hundred forty-nine in 2000; and

     WHEREAS, autism is estimated to cost the United States approximately $268,000,000,000 annually, covering medical, therapeutic, and educational expenses, as well as productivity losses for caregivers, with costs projected to increase significantly in the coming years; and

     WHEREAS, research suggests that Asians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders have a higher prevalence of autism, with an estimated one in thirty affected, making it crucial for Hawaii to gather accurate data to address the needs of its communities; and

     WHEREAS, the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been the primary source of autism prevalence data in the United States, but Hawaii has never been included in this national surveillance effort; and

     WHEREAS, the ADDM Network currently monitors autism prevalence at sixteen sites across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, using data from health and education records of four- and eight-year-olds, yet Hawaii is not included in this essential public health initiative; and

     WHEREAS, ADDM data collection has provided valuable insights into autism trends, disparities in identification, and gaps in access to services, and Hawaii's participation would allow for a more precise understanding of autism prevalence and impact among the State's diverse populations; and

     WHEREAS, discussions with the CDC have indicated that while funding for new ADDM sites is not currently available, the CDC is open to assisting in estimating autism prevalence across Hawaii and training local teams in established public health surveillance protocols; and

     WHEREAS, the federal Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2024 (Autism CARES Act), signed into law on December 23, 2024, provides $2,000,000,000 over five years, including $28,000,000 annually for the CDC's Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program, increasing opportunities for Hawaii to seek future funding for autism prevalence monitoring; and

     WHEREAS, the Autism CARES Act also includes further provisions to address disparities in autism identification and access to services, ensuring that historically underserved populations, including those in Hawaii, receive necessary support; and

     WHEREAS, participation in the CDC's autism prevalence estimation requires a coordinated effort among state agencies, research institutions, health care providers, and education professionals to establish surveillance infrastructure, ensure data collection and reporting capabilities, and develop long-term strategies for improving autism-related services; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's participation in systematic autism monitoring should be recognized as an opportunity to attract national attention and additional funding, ensuring that families across the State can access the early intervention, educational, medical, and vocational services needed to support the success of children with autism; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii also faces critical workforce shortages in early intervention providers, special educators, pediatricians, and broader allied health professionals, including speech language pathologists and occupational therapists, particularly on neighbor islands; and

     WHEREAS, an investment in training, recruitment, and retention is necessary to support children with autism and their families; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders are urged to collaborate and develop a strategic plan to prepare for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders are requested to:

     (1)  Identify necessary resources, training, and infrastructure improvements to support comprehensive data collection and analysis for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's autism prevalence estimation; and

     (2)  Engage community organizations, health care providers, and researchers to enhance autism-related services and interventions based on the data collected; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and Department of Education are requested to establish public health surveillance agreements and work toward executing the necessary memorandums of understanding to facilitate autism data collection; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education and Department of Health are requested to provide a joint report outlining the steps taken and progress made toward participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's autism prevalence estimation to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Superintendent of Education, and Director of Health who in turn is requested to transmit copies to autism advocacy organizations within the State.

Report Title: 

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Public Health Surveillance

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1875

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 139

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 139 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE AND DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREPARE FOR HAWAII'S PURSUIT OF FUNDING FOR AND PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION'S PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE FOR ESTIMATING AUTISM PREVALENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic plan to prepare for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; BAYDA; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Pakolea Support Services; Mau Loa Learning LLC; Full Life; Balanced ABA; and numerous individuals.  

     Your Committee finds that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that autism affects one in thirty-six children in the United States, which is a significant increase from the 2000 autism prevalence estimate of one in one hundred forty-nine children.  Your Committee further finds that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network is the primary source of autism prevalence data in the United States.  However, despite research indicating that Asians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders have a higher prevalence of autism, Hawaii has not been included in the national surveillance effort.  This measure seeks to address this oversight by urging the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders to prepare a strategic plan to enable the State to participate in public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 139 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1541

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 139

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 139 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE AND DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREPARE FOR HAWAII'S PURSUIT OF FUNDING FOR AND PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION'S PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE FOR ESTIMATING AUTISM PREVALENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic plan for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; BAYADA; Hawaiʻi Early Intervention Coordinating Council; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hawaiʻi Association for Behavior Analysis; and three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects brain development and unfolds across an individual's lifespan, impacting social communication, behavior, and daily functioning.  Your Committee further finds that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been the primary source of autism prevalence data in the United States, but Hawaii has never been included in this national surveillance effort.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is open to assisting in estimating autism prevalence across the State and training local teams in established public health surveillance protocols.  Your Committee believes that Hawaii's participation in systematic autism monitoring is an opportunity to attract national attention and additional funding for training, recruitment, and retention to support children with autism and their families.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 139 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,