Mayor DiCianni Walks the Walk on Child Autism

Autism has quickly become the No.1 health condition in the country for children and young adults.  The Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in 110 children born in the U.S. have some form of autism.  This figure used to be one in 10,000 only 20 years ago.

Elmhurt Mayor Peter DiCianni finds these numbers appalling and has dedicated years of his life to bringing awareness and public funding to the autism epidemic.  His own daughter Brianna was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. 

Three years ago, the mayor started Brianna & Friends Walk To Talk, a charity event to raise money for autism research and therapy.  All funds go to the Center for Speech and Language Disorders in Elmhurst. 

Elmhurst Patch: One of the biggest hurdles to tackling the problem of child autism is explaining to the public what a huge epidemic it's become.  How would you explain in 30 seconds why autism is such a critical issue to tackle?

DiCianni:  Autism is a condition that's now diagnosed more than any other children's disorder.  It's diagnosed more than pediatric cancer, diabetes and down syndrome.  It actually outpaces all those conditions combined.  It's a scary thing to see this epidemic growing.  There's over 120 children in Elmhurst alone with a form of autism.  It's critical to get these kids help at a young age before the problem gets worse. 

Elmhurst Patch: You sponsored Senate Bill 1900 and 934, which had great impact on families with autistic children. What successes have you seen since the bills passed? 

DiCianni:  Yes, SB 1900 and SB 934 eventually became what's called Brianna's Law in Illinois.  This law ensures families get coverage for autism treatment from insurance companies for up to $36,000 per year.  It allows unlimited visits to the doctor or to medical therapists.  The bill has been a big help for many families and I'm proud that Illinois was one of the first states to adopt a measure like this. 

Elmhurst Patch:  In December 2009 you worked with State Rep. Dennis Reboletti to introduce a new bill funding more research. Is there legislation now that you're trying to get through the Illinois House and Senate? 

DiCianni: Yes, this year I wrote two education bills for the state Senate.  One of these bills is aimed at bringing a lot more funding to special education programs like the Center for Speech and Language Disorders or the Ray Graham Center.  Unfortunately in Illinois, education funding is under the state tax cap.  Because of the recession, the tax cap is essentially zero, which means there's a huge shortfall in funds for special education programs.  But we're still trying to push the bill through and we may get it done in a veto session of the Senate. 

Elmhurst Patch: Why do you think the state and federal government has been so slow to react to autism issues?

DiCianni:  It is a frustrating to watch. First, it's tough to beat the insurance companies.  We were able to do it in 2008 but that was a huge undertaking and it took a lot of manpower.  The insurance companies have a lot of lobbyists working on their behalf.  To take this to the federal level, we need more research dollars and the government has been afraid to look into the autism issue for a variety of reasons. They understand that autism research is very expensive and there's a big push to reduce the federal deficit.  It's very illogical. Autism is outgrowing conditions like pediatric cancer and AIDS, but it gets a fraction of the funding. 

Elmhurst Patch: Have there been any recent breakthroughs in research and therapy for child autism?

DiCianni:  There are a lot of new treatments available but the core treatments haven't changed.  More than anything, kids need speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy.  Autism is different in every child and so that requires different approaches to treatment.  Things like applied behavioral analysis therapy may work for some kids and not others.  

Elmhurst Patch:  Walk To Talk continues to grow every year, in turnout and amount of money raised.  How do you plan to expand the walk's popularity now that you're mayor?  Are you planning on getting City Hall involved in the child autism issue?

DiCianni: People have criticized me saying, "Is the mayor going to use his position of power to promote the autism cause?" My answer has always been, "You bet I will." Elected officials have a duty to use their power and help causes they believe in.  I am guilty of pushing autism funding and awareness on the City Council and I will continue to do so.  

Elmhurst Patch: The story of Brianna is a very inspiring and hopeful story.  When she gets older, do you think will she consider becoming a spokeswoman for the child autism issue? 

DiCianni:  Yes I do.  I think Brianna's story is a great example of what can happen when kids get help from an early age.  She's a success story and I think she is a spokeswoman already.

For more information on autism spectrum disorder, visit www.AutismLink.com or the Center for Speech and Language Disorders at www.csld.org.