Hillary Clinton has 31 policy groups on her campaign’s “Issues” page, which outline her policy goals as president.
And, guess what, they’re great!
She is better helped, as a candidate, by improving her positives than increasing Trump’s negatives (he does that well enough on his own).
So why not highlight those positives, night after night, and promote a better sense of the progressive and popular choice that she is? It’s easy enough to do, she’s a great candidate with generally great positions on the issues Americans care about.
Tonight’s issue topic is Autism.
Why?
Well, it’s important, of course.
But why tonight...because as near as I can tell it was just added to her issues page in the last 24 hours — so it must be something she’d like to highlight! There are now 32 issues, not 31 (I will add an asterisk to this diary’s title, and then move to “32 Nights” in the titles). Secretary Clinton and her team are adding nights onto this series...but I can think of far worse topics to add than autism, and certainly she's no latecomer to the issue.
And, if you look at the videos linked below, you’ll know that the fact that this issue has recently appeared on her page does NOT mean that the issue has recently appeared on her radar — she’s spoken about this a lot. There are videos below — and they are truly must watch videos — from back in 2007, from early 2016, from Clinton and the media and from those closest to the issue. Hillary Clinton has been there on this issue and remains attentive, compassionate, and forward-thinking on this issue.
In many ways, the policy set on autism reflects how Hillary Clinton sees various health and access issues (we’ve seen it before in the Alzheimer’s diary). A very person-centric, human, and comprehensive approach to both pursue research for the future and provide resources for those dealing with the issue right now.
Smart.
Americans on the autism spectrum have much to add to our society, and we’re stronger together, but often can’t find the access or support they need to integrate their talents into their community. Hillary Clinton has a policy set designed to change that, today and tomorrow.
YouTube | RespectAbilityUSA
YouTube | NASofAmerica
YouTube | NewsBeat Social
YouTube | Autism Live
Hillary Clinton is proposing a new, wide-ranging autism initiative that will:
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Expand insurance coverage for autism services. When autism services aren’t covered by insurance, they are unaffordable for many families. Hillary will push states to require health insurance coverage for autism services—both behavioral and developmental—in private insurance plans and those offered through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
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Conduct a nationwide early screening outreach campaign. Children as young as two years old can show signs of autism, but many aren’t diagnosed until months or even years later. Studies suggest that children who are African American, Latino, or female are especially likely to receive late diagnoses, as early signs get missed. Hillary’s plan would help ensure that all children, and in particular children from underserved backgrounds, can get screened for autism.
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Invest in more research to deepen our understanding of autism. We need more research to better understand child brain development and the genetic linkages for autism, create better diagnostic tools, and improve treatments and services for people on the autism spectrum and their families at every stage of life. Hillary will significantly increase government investment in autism-related research, from studies that improve patient services to research that identifies more genetic markers. She will also call for the first-ever study on the prevalence of adults on the autism spectrum.
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Increase employment opportunities for individuals with autism. Fewer than half of youth with autism are employed or pursuing higher education in the two years after they graduate from high school. Hillary will launch the Autism Works Initiative to increase resources and establish public-private partnerships to help students with autism establish a post-graduation transition plan and to connect adults with autism to new employment opportunities.
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Keep students with autism safe at school. Students with autism are particularly vulnerable to bullying, abuse, and injury at school. As president, Hillary will enact the Keeping All Students Safe Act and other reforms to protect children with autism from abuse in their schools. She will also toughen the U.S. Department of Education guidance on bullying to protect children with autism from harassment.
Hillary has a long record of advocating for children and families affected by autism, describing it in 2007 as “one of the most urgent—and least understood—challenges facing our children.” As first lady, she fought hard for more awareness and funding for autism, including supporting the bipartisan Children’s Health Act of 2000, which had a special focus on autism research. In the Senate, she introduced the bipartisan Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act (EPIAA) to expand access to interventions and support for Americans with autism. And she cosponsored legislation in 2006 that authorized hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending on autism-related programs, including research, education, early detection, and intervention.
Read more about Hillary's plan here.
(Source: hillaryclinton.com)
Night 1: Paid Family Leave
Night 2: Fixing America’s Infrastructure
Night 3: LGBT Rights and Equality
Night 4: Seeking a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease
Night 5: Voting Rights
Night 6: Gun Violence Prevention
Night 7: Making College Affordable
Night 8: Small Business
Night 9: Veterans and the Armed Forces
Night 10: Manufacturing
Night 11: Protecting Animals and Wildlife
Night 12: Addiction and Substance Use