Governor Phil Bryant issued the following statement:
USM Plans Autism Therapy Degree Program as a Result of House Bill 885
JACKSON—Gov.
Phil Bryant, along with Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and
University of Southern Mississippi President Rodney D. Bennett, today
announced USM’s plan to launch an emphasis
area in Applied Behavior Analysis in its psychology master’s degree
program. Applied Behavior Analysis, also known as ABA therapy, is widely
regarded as an effective treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
USM
is launching the program as a result of House Bill 885, which Gov.
Bryant signed into law on March 26. The measure was championed by
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and requires
insurance plans to provide coverage for autism treatment, including ABA
therapy.
“House
Bill 885 will provide much needed coverage and resources to families in
Mississippi who are working through the challenges of autism, and I was
proud to sign the bill into law,”
Gov. Bryant said. “The therapy and treatment that many autistic
children in Mississippi will now be able to receive for the first time
will be life-changing. I commend the University of Southern Mississippi
for leading the effort to develop the academic programs
Mississippi needs to have in place to train its own autism therapy
workforce.”
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 1 in 68
children in the United States has Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“Autism
is an epidemic affecting 1 out of every 68 newborns,” Secretary of
State Delbert Hosemann said. “This legislation gives hope for the
future to parents, and most importantly—their
children.”
USM
is in the final stages of approval to modify a master’s degree program
in psychology to offer an emphasis in ABA therapy. The program has
already received curriculum approval from
the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board and is planned to
admit students this fall. Graduates of the program will meet coursework
eligibility requirements to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst
licensing exam.
Demand
for licensed ABA therapists is expected to grow as a result of House
Bill 885, and USM’s planned program aims to help build the state’s
workforce of qualified ABA therapists.
“The
University of Southern Mississippi looks forward to continuing our
legacy of providing high-quality psychology education and research
programs through the planned launch of a new
master’s program emphasis area in Applied Behavior Analysis,” USM
President Rodney D. Bennett said. “As the demand for ABA therapy grows,
we will work as hard as we can to train a new generation of students in
this critical area of autism treatment.”
House
Bill 885 requires insurance plans in Mississippi to cover
evidence-based treatment for autism, including ABA therapy, beginning Jan. 1, 2016.
1 comment:
Of course he did! If you attach an emotional name to a bill or claim 'it's for the chirrun', a governor will sign a bill outlawing automobiles. How could he NOT?
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