Senator Fuschillo, right, receives the newly renamed “Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. Advocacy Award” from Michael Giangregorio, left, Autism Speaks’ Long Island volunteer executive chair and a Merrick resident; and Diane Cahill, Autism Speaks’ New York State advocacy chair and a Lindenhurst resident.

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) was honored Tuesday by Autism Speaks for his tireless advocacy for individuals with autism.   

Senator Fuschillo received Autism Speaks’ Autism Advocacy Award for authoring New York State’s autism insurance reform law. The law will enable individuals with autism spectrum disorders to receive insurance coverage for screening, diagnosis and treatment. The law will save families with autism tens of thousands of dollars a year in out-of- pocket costs for autism treatment and therapies, which many insurance companies refuse to cover. The law takes effect on November 1.

Autism Speaks also honored Senator Fuschillo’s many years of work on behalf of families with autism by renaming the award the “Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. Autism Advocacy Award.”