FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nov. 18, 2002

WHAT:Â The California Assembly Health Committee will hold an informational hearing at UC Davis Health System in Sacramento to learn more about the ongoing research on autism and how the state can help advance the efforts to understand this disease.

WHEN:Â Tuesday, Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:Â The Ronald McDonald House at the UC Davis Medical Center, 2555 49th St., Sacramento

WHY:Â UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute recently reported to the state Legislature that the 273 percent increase in autism cases from 1987 to 1998 cannot be explained by a loosening of the criteria used to make the diagnosis, and that some, if not all, of the observed increase represents a true increase in cases of autism in California.

WHO: Among other speakers, UC Davis presenters include:

Robert Hendren, D.O.
Executive Director, UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute

Robert Byrd, M.D., M.P.H.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital,
Principle Investigator for M.I.N.D. Institute Autism Epidemiology Study

Isaac Pessah, Ph.D.
Director, UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention

Rick Rollens, parent of an autistic child
Co-Founder of UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute

The UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute in Sacramento, Calif., was founded in 1998 as a unique interdisciplinary organization of parents, community leaders, researchers, clinicians and volunteers to study and treat autism, fragile X syndrome, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, Asperger's syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders. More information about the institute is available on the Web at http://www.mindinstitute.org/.