California Statistics as reported by Rick Rollens of the Mind Institute. August 2002
The California Department of Developmental Services has recently reported yet another all
time record number of children entering California's developmental services system who
have received a professional diagnosis of DSM IV autism, not including PDD, NOS,
Asperger's, or any other autism spectrum disorder such as rare genetic diseases like
Fragile X.
The most recent quarterly report from the Department shows that during the period from
April 4 - July 5, 2002 California added 846 new children with level one DSM IV autism to
it's system. The 846 new cases represents an all time record number of new cases for a
quarterly report in the 31 year history of the system. The new report represents an 18%
increase in new cases over the same quarter last year, and has established once again that
autism is the number one disability entering California's developmental services
system...accounting for 40% of all the intakes..a percentage that has
rapidly grown over the years from 3% (prior to 1979-80) to an unbelievable 40% today.
California is adding on average, 9 new children a day, seven days a week (When I testified
before Congress 3 1/2 years ago in August 1999, we were adding 5 new kids a day, seven
days a week). Over the 28 year period from 1971, the first year autism was added to
California's system, to 1999, California had brought in 10,206 cases of autism into it's
system. During the past 3 1/2 years, 1999 to July, 2002, California has added an
additional 8,554 new cases, and is now serving 18,460 cases of level one autism.
Nan
Unlocking Autism
1971-1999, 28 years = 10,206 cases of Autism in California
1999-2002, 3 year = 8,554 new cases.