Autism Cares Act of 2019 (P.L. 116-60)

PUBLIC LAW 116–60—SEPT. 30, 2019

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AUTISM COLLABORATION, ACCOUNTABILITY,
RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT ACT
OF 2019

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133 STAT. 1110

PUBLIC LAW 116–60—SEPT. 30, 2019

Public Law 116–60
116th Congress
An Act
Sept. 30, 2019
[H.R. 1058]

Autism
Collaboration,
Accountability,
Research,
Education, and
Support Act
of 2019.
42 USC 201 note.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance activities of the National
Institutes of Health with respect to research on autism spectrum disorder and
enhance programs relating to autism, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2019’’ or the
‘‘Autism CARES Act of 2019’’.
SEC.

2.

EXPANSION, INTENSIFICATION, AND COORDINATION OF
ACTIVITIES OF THE NIH WITH RESPECT TO RESEARCH ON
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

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Section 409C of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284g)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)—
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘and toxicology’’
and inserting ‘‘toxicology, and interventions to maximize
outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder’’;
and
(B) by striking the second sentence and inserting the
following: ‘‘Such research shall investigate the causes
(including possible environmental causes), diagnosis or
ruling out, early and ongoing detection, prevention, services
across the lifespan, supports, intervention, and treatment
of autism spectrum disorder, including dissemination and
implementation of clinical care, supports, interventions,
and treatments.’’;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘cause’’ and
all that follows through ‘‘disorder’’ and inserting
‘‘causes, diagnosis, early and ongoing detection, prevention, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder across
the lifespan’’; and
(ii) in the third sentence, by striking ‘‘neurobiology’’
and all that follows through the period and inserting
‘‘neurobiology,
genetics,
genomics,
psychopharmacology,
developmental
psychology,
behavioral psychology, and clinical psychology.’’; and
(B) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(D) REDUCING DISPARITIES.—The Director may consider, as appropriate, the extent to which a center can

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PUBLIC LAW 116–60—SEPT. 30, 2019

133 STAT. 1111

demonstrate availability and access to clinical services for
youth and adults from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic,
or linguistic backgrounds in decisions about awarding
grants to applicants which meet the scientific criteria for
funding under this section.’’.
SEC. 3. PROGRAMS RELATING TO AUTISM.

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(a) DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH
PROGRAM.—Section 399AA of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280i) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘adults on autism spectrum disorder’’ and inserting ‘‘adults with autism spectrum
disorder’’;
(2) in subsection (a)(2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘State and local public health officials’’
and inserting ‘‘State, local, and Tribal public health officials’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘or other developmental disabilities’’
and inserting ‘‘and other developmental disabilities’’;
(3) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘a university, or any
other educational institution’’ and inserting ‘‘a university, any
other educational institution, an Indian tribe, or a tribal
organization’’;
(4) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘relevant State and
local public health officials, private sector developmental disability researchers, and advocates for individuals with developmental disabilities’’ and inserting ‘‘State, local, and Tribal
public health officials, private sector developmental disability
researchers, advocates for individuals with autism spectrum
disorder, and advocates for individuals with other developmental disabilities’’;
(5) in subsection (d)—
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, the following new paragraph:
‘‘(1) INDIAN TRIBE; TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The terms
‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribal organization’ have the meanings given
such terms in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement
Act.’’; and
(6) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘2019’’ and inserting
‘‘2024’’.
(b) AUTISM EDUCATION, EARLY DETECTION, AND INTERVENTION.—Section 399BB of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
280i–1) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1)—
(A) by striking ‘‘individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities’’ and inserting
‘‘individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other
developmental disabilities’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘children with autism spectrum disorder’’ and all that follows through ‘‘disabilities;’’ and
inserting ‘‘individuals with autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities across their lifespan;’’;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘individuals with’’
before ‘‘autism spectrum disorder’’;

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PUBLIC LAW 116–60—SEPT. 30, 2019

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(B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as
paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
‘‘(4) promote evidence-based screening techniques and interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities across their lifespan;’’;
(3) in subsection (c)—
(A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the needs of individuals with autism
spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities and
their families’’ and inserting ‘‘the needs of individuals with
autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities across their lifespan and the needs of their families’’;
and
(B) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘caregivers
of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder’’ and
inserting ‘‘caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities’’;
(ii) in subparagraph (B)(i)(II), by inserting ‘‘autism
spectrum disorder and’’ after ‘‘individuals with’’; and
(iii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by inserting ‘‘autism
spectrum disorder and’’ after ‘‘individuals with’’;
(4) in subsection (e)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
inserting ‘‘across their lifespan’’ before ‘‘and ensure’’;
and
(ii) in subparagraph (B)(iv), by inserting ‘‘across
their lifespan’’ after ‘‘other developmental disabilities’’;
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
‘‘(2) DEVELOPMENTAL-BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICIAN TRAINING
PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In making awards under this subsection, the Secretary may prioritize awards to applicants
that are developmental-behavioral pediatrician training
programs located in rural or underserved areas.
‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF UNDERSERVED AREA.—In this paragraph, the term ‘underserved area’ means—
‘‘(i) a health professional shortage area (as defined
in section 332(a)(1)(A)); and
‘‘(ii) an urban or rural area designated by the
Secretary as an area with a shortage of personal health
services (as described in section 330(b)(3)(A)).’’;
(5) in subsection (f), by inserting ‘‘across the lifespan of
such individuals’’ after ‘‘other developmental disabilities’’; and
(6) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘2019’’ and inserting
‘‘2024’’.
(c) INTERAGENCY AUTISM COORDINATING COMMITTEE.—Section
399CC of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280i–2) is
amended—
(1) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘across the lifespan
of such individuals’’ before the semicolon; and

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(B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘across the lifespan
of such individuals’’ before ‘‘and the families’’;
(2) in subsection (c)—
(A) in paragraph (1)(D), by inserting ‘‘, the Department
of Labor, the Department of Justice, the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Department of Housing and Urban
Development,’’ after ‘‘Department of Education’’;
(B) in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph
(2), by striking ‘‘at least two such members’’ each place
it appears and inserting ‘‘at least three such members’’;
(C) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘one or more additional 4-year terms’’ and inserting ‘‘one additional 4-year
term’’; and
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘2019’’ and inserting ‘‘2024’’.
(d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Section 399DD of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280i–3) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Autism CARES Act
of 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘Autism CARES Act of 2019’’; and
(B) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E), by
striking ‘‘Autism CARES Act of 2014’’ each place it
appears and inserting ‘‘Autism CARES Act of 2019’’;
(ii) in subparagraph (G), by striking ‘‘age of the
child’’ and inserting ‘‘age of the individual’’;
(iii) in subparagraph (H), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and
inserting ‘‘;’’;
(iv) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(v) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(J) information on how States use home- and community-based services and other supports to ensure that
individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other
developmental disabilities are living, working, and participating in their community.’’; and
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘YOUNG ADULTS AND
TRANSITIONING YOUTH’’ and inserting ‘‘THE HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER ACROSS THEIR LIFESPAN’’;
(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of the Autism CARES Act of 2019, the Secretary
shall prepare and submit, to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives,
a report concerning the health and well-being of individuals
with autism spectrum disorder.’’; and
(C) in paragraph (2)—
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
‘‘(A) demographic factors associated with the health
and well-being of individuals with autism spectrum disorder;’’;
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘young adults’’
and all that follows through the semicolon and
inserting ‘‘the health and well-being of individuals with

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133 STAT. 1114

Recommendations.

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Recommendations.

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PUBLIC LAW 116–60—SEPT. 30, 2019

autism spectrum disorder, including an identification
of existing Federal laws, regulations, policies, research,
and programs;’’; and
(iii) by amending subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E)
to read as follows:
‘‘(C) recommendations on establishing best practices
guidelines to ensure interdisciplinary coordination between
all relevant service providers receiving Federal funding;
‘‘(D) comprehensive approaches to improving health
outcomes and well-being for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, including—
‘‘(i) community-based behavioral supports and
interventions;
‘‘(ii) nutrition, recreational, and social activities;
and
‘‘(iii) personal safety services related to public
safety agencies or the criminal justice system for such
individuals; and
‘‘(E) recommendations that seek to improve health outcomes for such individuals, including across their lifespan,
by addressing—
‘‘(i) screening and diagnosis of children and adults;
‘‘(ii) behavioral and other therapeutic approaches;
‘‘(iii) primary and preventative care;
‘‘(iv) communication challenges;
‘‘(v) aggression, self-injury, elopement, and other
behavioral issues;
‘‘(vi) emergency room visits and acute care hospitalization;
‘‘(vii) treatment for co-occurring physical and
mental health conditions;
‘‘(viii) premature mortality;
‘‘(ix) medical practitioner training; and
‘‘(x) caregiver mental health.’’.
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 399EE of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280i–4) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘$22,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2015 through 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘$23,100,000
for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024’’;
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘$48,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2015 through 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,599,000
for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024’’; and
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘there is authorized to
be appropriated $190,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015

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through 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘there are authorized to be appropriated $296,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through
2024’’.
Approved September 30, 2019.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1058:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 116–177 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 165 (2019):
July 24, considered and passed House.
Sept. 19, considered and passed Senate.

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Æ

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