A proposal to make treatment for people with autism more accessible in North Carolina has wide bipartisan support as it's moving through the legislature.
LEADERSHIP. THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF RESPONDED AND SAID IT WAS COMING IN AS RAW DATA BUT DID ADMIT THE INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. >>> AND EFFORT IS UNDERWAY TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. OUR BUREAU CHIEF, LAURA LESLIE, HAS BEEN CLOSELY FOLLOWING A NEW PROPOSAL TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO GET LIFE-CHANGING THERAPY. SHE JOINS US LIVE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATION BUILDING WITH WHAT WOULD CHANGE. >> WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS, AND EARLY INTERVENTION THAT CAN HELP CHILDREN WITH AUTISM MITIGATE SOME OF THE WORST EFFECTS OF AUTISM BUT IT IS CURRENTLY HARD TO GET THAT THERAPY IN NORTH CAROLINA. THERE ARE ABOUT 60,000 CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM IN THE STATE. MANY IF NOT MOST COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS TYPE OF THERAPY BUT NORTH CAROLINA IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT REQUIRES THEM TO BE SUPERVISED BY A LICENSED, SPECIALIZED PSYCHOLOGIST AND THOSE ARE PRETTY RARE, WE ONLY HAVE 62 IN THE STATE. THAT MEANS THE WAITING LIST CAN BE HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN LONG. THE BIPARTISAN BILL WOULD ALLOW BOARD-CERTIFIED THERAPIST TO BE LICENSED BY THE STATE SO THEY CAN PRACTICE INDEPENDENTLY. ZACH HAWKINS IS THE FATHER OF TWO LITTLE BOYS WITH AUTISM AND SAYS THEY REALLY BENEFITED AND EVERY OTHER KID SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY. >> ONE THING WE KNOW, AUTISM IS A GOING ANYWHERE SO THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTERVENTIONS MY SON RECEIVED, EVERYONE ELSE CAN. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. >> THE HOUSE HAS ALREADY PASSED THE PROPOSAL BUT IT HAS ALWAYS GOTTEN HUNG UP IN THE SENATE. SENATE LEADERS HAVE PLEDGED THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD. COMING UP, WE WILL BE SHOWING YOU A FAMILY WHO SAYS THEIR SON HAS REALLY BENEFITED AND THE CRAZY STUFF THEY HAD TO TAKE TO GET THAT THERAPY FOR HIM.