120 STAT. 2824
PUBLIC LAW 109–416—DEC. 19, 2006
disabilities, and train professionals to utilize valid and reliable screening tools to diagnose or rule out and provide evidencebased interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities; and ‘‘(2) to conduct activities under this section with a focus on an interdisciplinary approach (as defined in programs developed under section 501(a)(2) of the Social Security Act) that will also focus on specific issues for children who are not receiving an early diagnosis and subsequent interventions. ‘‘(b) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, establish and evaluate activities to— ‘‘(1) provide information and education on autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities to increase public awareness of developmental milestones; ‘‘(2) promote research into the development and validation of reliable screening tools for autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities and disseminate information regarding those screening tools; ‘‘(3) promote early screening of individuals at higher risk for autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities as early as practicable, given evidence-based screening techniques and interventions; ‘‘(4) increase the number of individuals who are able to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities; ‘‘(5) increase the number of individuals able to provide evidence-based interventions for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities; and ‘‘(6) promote the use of evidence-based interventions for individuals at higher risk for autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities as early as practicable. ‘‘(c) INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection (b)(1), the Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, provide culturally competent information regarding autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, risk factors, characteristics, identification, diagnosis or rule out, and evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities and their families through— ‘‘(A) Federal programs, including— ‘‘(i) the Head Start program; ‘‘(ii) the Early Start program; ‘‘(iii) the Healthy Start program; ‘‘(iv) programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990; ‘‘(v) programs under title XIX of the Social Security Act (particularly the Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program); ‘‘(vi) the program under title XXI of the Social Security Act (the State Children’s Health Insurance Program); ‘‘(vii) the program under title V of the Social Security Act (the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program);
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