STATE Influence Policy | Raise Standards
Policy With unprecedented federal attention on autism, Autism New Jersey’s public policy team analyzed and explained federal proposals such as the key provisions from the One Big Beautiful Act (OBBA). On a state level, our team worked with legislative leaders to champion the passage of legislation that requires background checks for applied behavior analyst licensure applicants, educated ABA professionals about the steps to become licensed,
Communications When national health leaders turned their attention to the autism community, the autism community turned to us. We quickly researched, wrote and disseminated easy-to-understand briefs about how changes to Medicaid, cuts to national research institutes, and an enhanced focus on autism research could impact our community. When misinformation proliferated online, we responded with a series of community letters explaining in simple terms what was
and advised state leaders on legislation in progress. We also advocated for numerous bills, including one that expedites guardianship applications. To address the need for more behavior analysts and psychiatrists in the state, we partnered with the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University to produce a workforce landscape analysis, laying the groundwork for a project to attract, develop and retain professionals. In response to parents who expressed concerns about their adult children’s safety in group homes, we are creating a quality improvement model for group homes designed to increase communication among families, providers, and government officials.
happening at the federal level and how it could impact our community. We were proud to host a popular webinar series on the complex causes of autism featuring three researchers from Rutgers University. The communications team also continues to maintain Autism New Jersey’s monthly e-newsletter; the ever- evolving online library of clinical, legal, and policy articles; a large social media presence; and supports the agency’s content and branding needs. This fiscal year, the team oversaw an agency-wide rebrand, accompanied by a user-centric website redesign.
14 POLICY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS MEETING REGULARLY TO INFORM AND STRENGTHEN OUR ADVOCACY 15 NEWS ARTICLES AND UPDATES PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE, INFORMING THE AUTISM COMMUNITY AND PROVIDERS OF SHIFTS IN FUNDING, POLICIES AND LAWS 21 PIECES OF LEGISLATION ON WHICH WE ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED EITHER ADVOCATING FOR BILLS OR PROPOSING NUANCED AMENDMENTS TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT
454,900 PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA 115,000 IMPRESSIONS FOR OUR TOP-PERFORMING SOCIAL MEDIA POST 868 ATTENDEES PARTICIPATED IN OUR THREE-DAY “COMPLEX CAUSES OF AUTISM” WEBINARS IN MAY 36 MEDIA ARTICLES, RANGING FROM NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL PUBLICATIONS WHERE AUTISM NEW JERSEY WAS INTERVIEWED, QUOTED OR MENTIONED
CURRENT AND FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORS, STACIE SHERMAN AND CASSIDY GROM, ARE BOTH JOURNALISTS. JESSICA BARKOSKY, A SKILLED GRAPHIC DESIGNER, AND STACIE LEAD AUTISM NEW JERSEY’S MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS. THEY ENSURE EVERY PIECE OF CONTENT IS UNDERSTANDABLE AND HELPFUL TO THE AUTISM COMMUNITY.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY AND CLINICAL PARTNERSHIPS DARREN BLOUGH; MSW, BC aBA, LaBA; AND DEPUTY PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR DEVIN BAKER, MPA WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF AUTISM SERVICES IN THE STATE.
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