In 1997, at the request of Congress, the NIH formed its Autism Coordinating Committee (NIH/ACC) to enhance the quality, pace and coordination of efforts at the NIH, to find a cure for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since then, the NIH/ACC has been instrumental in the research into, understanding of, and advances in ASD.
Who is involved in the NIH/ACC?
The following NIH Institutes are members of the NIH/ACC:
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
In addition, representatives from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) as well as staff and leadership from the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR) and the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC) participate in NIH/ACC meetings.
The NIH/ACC is also integrally involved in the broader Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) that is composed of representatives from various component agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other governmental organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Education . The committee is chaired by the Director of NIMH or his designee.
What is the NIH/ACC doing to learn more about autism?
NIH funds the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) program. The ACE program comprises several centers and research networks. ACE centers foster multidisciplinary collaboration among teams of specialists at a single facility to address a particular research question in depth. Each center conducts interdependent sub-projects. ACE networks unite researchers at many different facilities throughout the country; working as a unit, each network addresses a particular research question in depth. Additional details about autism research funding can be found at:
- 2007 and 2008 Autism Centers of Excellence
- 2012 and 2013 Autism Centers of Excellence
- Autism Biomarkers Consortium
- Children's Environmental Health Centers (NIEHS)
