Military Families Seek Autism Treatment for Their Children Through Legislation

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Last Tuesday, Scott Campbell stood up during the public comment section of a congressional briefing for H.R. 2288, the Caring for Military Children with Autism Act (CMKAA) and spoke about his lung cancer. Doctors discovered it during his retirement physical, requiring him to stay on active duty for treatment. That active duty, following 28 years of service, allowed his son, a 13-year-old severely affected by autism, to continue his applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatments and to have them paid for by his military insurance.
"I was glad I got lung cancer," he said, letting the irony of his words seep into the room, "because it meant my son could get treatment."