WHEREAS, autism is a severely incapacitating, lifelong developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life, thus resulting in significant impairments of an individual’s ability to reason, socially interact and communicate; and

        WHEREAS, autism effects normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills; and

        WHEREAS, more cases of autism have been reported in the last three years than in the previous seven; and

        WHEREAS, autism has wide-ranging implications for the entire family of the diagnosed individual, and early diagnosis, research, training, education and therapies are vital to reducing the effects of autism; and

        WHEREAS, significant progress has been made in the last 30 years in the areas of research, medicine, diagnostic issues and therapies for autism, resulting in an improved quality of life for individuals living with autism and for their families; and

        WHEREAS, we still must educate the public about autism, especially teachers, parents, and doctors;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim April 2007, to be

AUTISM  AWARENESS  MONTH
 

in Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 2nd day of April in the year of our Lord two-thousand and seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-first and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred seventeenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE