The Children's Health Act of 2000 mandated that the NIH support a new program of at least five centers of excellence focused on autism and related disorders. To address this mandate, the Institutes involved in the NIH/ACC, including the NICHD, initiated the STAART Network, a five-year, $65 million research effort that focuses exclusively on autism. Each Network site will support and conduct both individual and collaborative projects to learn more about autism causes, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, and treatment.

The NIMH is the lead Institute on the STAART Network program. For more information on this effort, go to http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/scientific-meetings/recurring-meetings/iacc/nih-initiatives/staart/index.shtml .