Virginia In 2009 the Virginia State Legislature failed to pass insurance reform legislation that would have extended insurance coverage for behavioral therapy for children with autism. Please visit Autism Votes for the latest information on 2011 state insurance legislative efforts. Richmond Area The Richmond Walk Committee is always looking for volunteers to help with our annual event, scheduled for October 2011! Please contact virginia@autismspeaks.org to volunteer or to get moreinformation. 

National Capital Area Chapter Welcome to the home page for Autism Speaks National Capital Area chaper. We have an active and busy volunteer community supporting our organization's mission: research, awareness, advocacy, and family services. 

Chapter Events and Initiatives in 2011: 

Autism Speaks Triathlon (Spring 2011); spereles@autismspeaks.org 11th Annual Autism Speaks 5K; contact spereles@autismspeaks.org Bike to the Beach, July 29, 2011 contact skeenan@autismspeaks.org Wilson Bridge Half Marathon: runners needed! October 2, 2011 contact Christina.markish@autismspeaks.org National Walk Now for Autism Speaks, October 2011; contact mrobinson@autismspeaks.org Richmond Walk Now for Autism Speaks, October 2011; contact skeenan@autismspeaks.org Baltimore Walk Now for Autism Speaks, October 2011; contact spereles@autismspeaks.org 

Autism Speaks Lending Library Autism Speaks Family Services Outreach Project Our Families…Helping Our Families: Autism Speaks Family Services Lending Library Donate: Your gently used therapy materials for other families to use Borrow: Therapy Materials you need! 

Where: Thank you to Runners, Inc., who has generously donated their time and space to house our materials. 7924 Queenair Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 (Main Office) 301-948-7500 / cell 301-252-1220 toll free 800-204-7501 / fax 301-330-1451 www.runnersinc.com / tsmith@runnersinc.com 

When: Items may be Borrowed or Donated weekdays between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm to the address above. Pick up is also available for a nominal fee. Also, thank you to Christine McKee who has volunteered to oversee this program. Please visit our Lending Library page or phone 202.955.3113 with any questions. Autism Speaks Family Services Outreach Project Washington DC (October 15, 2009) - Autism Speaks National Capital Area announced today that it has partnered with Children's National Medical Center's Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and the District of Columbia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (DC LEND) Program to disseminate information to the underserved communities in the DC metropolitan area. 

The Family Services' Outreach Project will be staffed by volunteers under the leadership of DC LEND trainee James Rutledge, who holds a masters degree in psychology. The DC LEND program is funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The Autism Speaks Family Services' Outreach Project includes dissemination of the First 100 Day Kit: a manual for newly diagnosed families; the online resource guide, a database with thousands of services categorized by state; and the local special project, the Autism Speaks National Capital Area Lending Library, from which families can borrow free of charge new and gently-used educational materials and toys to be used in home behavioral therapy programs. For more information or to invite Autism Speaks to present to a group or organization, contact nationalcapitalarea@autismspeaks.org or 202.955.3112.