When my son Titus was diagnosed with Autism in February of 2012, I was not surprised, instead I was relieved. I knew that a diagnosis meant we could move forward with crucial early intervention.

I was familiar with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and could not wait to get started and watch my son thrive. I eagerly called my insurance company to get more information on services and providers. But to my utter disbelief, they claimed they had never even heard of ABA, and furthermore were skeptical whether ABA therapy existed at all. I was shocked and panicked.

After searching online, I learned that WAAA was supporting many other families just like mine in obtaining crucial coverage for Autism therapies. After I contacted WAAA, they connected me with Mira Posner, the WAAA staff attorney who fights for insurance reform for Autism. I was no longer alone. I now had an army to fight this giant with me. Mira and I spent the next 4 months gathering info necessary to file a review with my insurance company in regards to ABA therapy.

Ultimately, the insurance company agreed to pay for all of Titus’ past medical bills and moving forward, ABA would have no visit limitations. The proof is here. Insurance reform will happen when an advocate steps into battle with you. An insurance company easily ignores one person but when you have an advocate fighting with you, things start to change, reform happens!

It wasn’t until I had the support and knowledge from WAAA that I was heard.  This is the hope for making progress in special education advocacy.

Thank you for reading this far.

Autism advocacy here in Washington WILL provoke change. WAAA is gearing up to expand their special education advocacy services from useful but necessarily limited offering only general information, to customized education advocacy services that can effect measurable change in education outcomes for children with autism.

With 1,000 children diagnosed each year, the time is now to rally in support of Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy so that we can fulfill WAAA's mission to ensure that all children and adults with ASD have every opportunity to thrive and become productive members of society.

- Noelle Baylor