ADDitude Advocacy: Latest News

The following is a personal essay that reflects the opinions and experiences of its author.October 17, 2025This November marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a landmark law that shapes the educational experiences of more than 7.5 million students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across the United States.In exchange for federal funding, states must provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education; the IDEA governs this and how an IEP (Individualized Education Program) is structured, built to address a student’s needs, and implemented in the classroom. Central to the IDEA’s effectiveness is federal monitoring of state compliance; however, that enforcement structure is now under serious threat.Earlier this week, the Trump administration effectively killed the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) — an office within the U.S.

The following is a personal essay, and reflects the opinion of its author.September 30, 2025The Trump administration continued its attack on autism last week, this time by linking Tylenol (acetaminophen) use in pregnancy to autism and strongly discouraging its use. (“Fight like hell not to take it” and “tough it out,” Trump told expectant moms.)White House Press Secretary Karolina Levitt said, “The Trump administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health.”Hold on: I am healthy.

Mental health screenings in schools offer vital insights into a child’s emotional and behavioral needs. Contrary to what some government leaders claim, these screenings reduce stigma. They help us start conversations about how we can support youth as an unprecedented mental health crisis affects this group.

The following is a personal essay, and reflects the opinion of its author. September 23, 2025Yesterday, President Donald Trump carelessly advised that pregnant people should avoid Tylenol (acetaminophen), suggesting it causes autism. As an autistic, ADHD parent and social scientist, I can say plainly: this isn’t science; it’s fear-mongering. It revives mother-blaming myths, weaponizes uncertainty, and treats autistic existence as something to prevent rather than accept.The scientific record does not support a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism.

The following is a personal essay that reflects the opinions and experiences of its author.June 12, 2025In the weeks since officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) first announced plans to create an autism registry — then subsequently dubbed its efforts a national “data platform” to “uncover the root causes of autism” — providers like myself have witnessed a notable effect on patients seeking care.As a clinical psychologist, I specialize in diagnosing and supporting neurodivergent adults.

June 6, 2025On April 29, the Trump administration announced it was cutting $1 billion in funding for federal grants used to hire and train 14,000 mental health professionals in 260 public school districts across 49 states.The grants originated in 2022’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bill that passed the Senate with unanimous consent following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 22 people died, including 19 elementary school children. The bill was largely seen as important recognition of and support for an escalating mental health crisis among American youth.In April, the Trump administration eliminated all funding for these grants, blaming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives associated with them.

May 23, 2025The anticipated MAHA Commission report released yesterday misrepresents ADHD causes and care in the U.S., misinterpreting studies and disregarding compelling new research and patient voices to suggest that ADHD is contributing to a “crisis of overdiagnosis and treatment” in American children. The MAHA Report, spearheaded by Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., presupposes that ADHD is a harmful contributor to America’s “childhood chronic disease crisis,” lumping it in with obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.