Undertake additional pilots of early interventions for infants with signs of autism, and further progress the Government's election commitment to deliver a National Autism Strategy.
The Government will provide funding of $27.0 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to undertake additional pilots of early interventions for infants with signs of autism, and further progress the Government's election commitment to deliver a National Autism Strategy. Funding includes: * $22.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to undertake 2 pilots of pre-emptive early interventions for infants showing signs of autism. The pilots will leverage the design of the 'Inklings' pilot already underway in Western Australia, with the approach adapted for conditions in different jurisdictions * $3.7 million in 2023-24 to undertake a co-designed national consultation and engagement process on the National Autism Strategy, and to support the Autism Cooperative Research Centre to continue to undertake research to inform the Strategy * $1.2 million over two years from 2023-24 to undertake consultation on a National Roadmap to improve the physical and mental health of autistic people. The cost of this measure will be met by reprioritising funding from the Department of Social Services Program 3.1 (Disability and Carers), and by redirecting unallocated funding from the Information, Linkages and Capacity Building program. This measure builds on the 2022-23 October Budget measure titled National Autism Strategy.