Michelle Novelli of Roslindale has long been an advocate for individuals with autism and the families that support them as both a parent of a child on the autism spectrum and as a member as a member of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SPED PAC).

She understands the difficulties that parents often cope with as they work to treat the many different symptoms that are associated with autism.

Although Novelli was able to find treatment for her son through services provided by Boston Public Schools (BPS), she feels that it should take more than relying on BPS to ensure that kids on the autism spectrum receive proper treatment.

Last week, City Councilors John Connolly and Chuck Turner submitted a resolution to the Council in support of Massachusetts House Bill 3809, or “An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage for Autism,” which calls on private health insurers in the Commonwealth to provide medical coverage for the unique needs of those diagnosed on the autism spectrum.

The Autism Spectrum encompasses a variety of pervasive developmental disorders that are defined by the presence of abnormal or impaired development and/or abnormal functioning in all the three areas of psychopathology, reciprocal social interaction, communication and restricted, stereotyped, repetitive behavior, as defined by the World Health Organization.

“We have not only the kids impacted by autism, but whole families,” said Connolly. “It becomes a life-long struggle to make sure their kids can get access to services and opportunities that everyone should be entitled to, and that includes healthcare.”

Due to a lack of specific symptoms in the disorder, it can be difficult for individuals to get medical coverage to treat autism.

“This bill will allow families that have a child that is impacted by autism to get healthcare coverage when it’s diagnosed by a doctor or a health professional,” said Connolly.

Treatment can consist of many different approaches, such as certain behavioral therapies or medications that treat symptoms such as seizures, hyperactivity, extreme mood changes or self-injurious behaviors.

“It’s always different,” said Novelli. “Some kids on the spectrum can be quite aggressive.”

According to Connolly, it was important to show support for the state bill because of the increasing number of youth diagnosed with autism.

“We’ve seen an incredible increase in the number of kids diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders over the last 10 years,” said Connolly, who chairs the Council’s committee on education. “In Boston Public Schools we’ve seen the number quadruple in the past number of years.”

For Connolly, advocating for children with autism has long been a personal issue.

“This started for me through some lifelong friend who had children with special needs,” said Connolly. “That led me to a group of mothers in Roslindale whose children had been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, and who were basically grouping together to fight to get what their children needed.”

According to Novelli, Connolly has consistently advocated for those with autism.

“I have to say that John Connolly has been awesome in working with our community,” she said. “He’s really been a champion of pushing this forward instead of just talking about it.”

Novelli clarified that despite BPS’ best efforts, it is not easy to provide all-encompassing treatment for what could be described as a range of disorders.

“What I do think is really important is autism does not look the same in all kids. Some parents find out earlier, some find out later,” said Novelli. “When you’ve got the medical coverage, it gives you the option to seek other services and therapies that you might not otherwise be able to access or if your family does not have the resources, you’re at the mercy of what the schools have to offer.”

Symptoms for those on the autism spectrum can often be wide and varied, making it difficult to successfully nail down a single treatment.

“It’s a long journey,” said Michelle Novelli. “It’s really different for all kids and you do have to try many different things. That is why I think insurance coverage is so important.”

According to Novelli, treatment for autism can often include a combination of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), medication and therapy.

“If you’re fortunate enough to be in a school that offers that in a way that you find that it’s adequate, then that’s wonderful, but many people seek speech, physical therapy and occupation therapy outside of the school environment,” she said. “I have been really fortunate in the fact that my son has been getting what he needs from BPS, but I know many people who have spent lots and lots of money to find treatments that haven’t been covered.”