Advocates respond to HHS Secretary Autism remarks

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Sara Spragens is the President of the Autism Society of the Bluegrass (ASBG) and says she is grateful to have it as a resource.

Spragens says her son was diagnosed with autism in 2001, since then she has been involved with the organization.

“There is nothing along our path with autism that has been more influencing to us than being around other families who are going through the same things,” Spragens said.

U.S. Secretary Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made comments about people with autism and their families that Spragens believes are harmful.

“And these are kids who will never pay taxes, they’ll never hold a job, they’ll never play baseball, they’ll never write a poem, they’ll never go out on date, many of them will never use a toilet unassisted,” RFK Jr. said in a news conference.

While these comments are true for some people with severe cases of autism, this is not the reality for a majority of people on the spectrum.

Melanie Tyner-Wilson is a board member and former president of ASBG and says her son is some one who is profoundly or severely impacted by autism but it does not stop his success.

“He has accomplished so much as a human being. He’s non-verbal but he has figured out a way to communicate with us as a family,” Tyner-Wilson said.

Tyner-Wilson and Spragens say they are encouraged by national conversations about autism but hope they move in a more constructive direction.

On April 29th, ASBG will join The Arc of Central Kentucky in hosting “Medicaid: What Is Going On?” to help families find answers to potential Medicaid cuts.