SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Friday is World Autism Awareness Day. In Missouri, lawmakers are trying to help families who deal with the disorder. An effort to require more insurance coverage looks like it has the momentum to pass if the Missouri House and Senate can reach an agreement on differing bills. The bills would help families across Missouri afford diagnosis and treatment of autism.

Elizabeth Obrey never knows how her day will turn out.

"We're usually late to many things," she said. "We forget things."

Obrey knows what it takes to raise a child with autism. In fact, she knows what it's like to raise three children with the disorder.

"It's important to keep a sense of organization and structure for children with autism," Obrey said. "Then, when you add a couple of them in there, that pretty much goes out the window."

Kerri Duncan, director of the Rivendale Institute for Learning, said Obrey goes above and beyond every day.

"She is a hero to me, to many of our other parents, and definitely to her family," said Duncan. "They have given up everything, you have no idea."

Obrey's 17-year-old daughter is now in high school. She drives, socializes, and thrives. Obrey's 4-year-old and 7-year-old sons both attend Rivendale, where they get help they need for their disorders.

"Nathan started his programs at 14 months and Chase started his at 18 months, and that's made all the difference," Obrey said.

Not all families can get the help they need for their autistic child because they simply can't afford it.

"You don't want your child to stay at a 2-year-old level if you can get them the proper early intervention," Obrey said. "There are so many families that struggle with the finances."

Those finances hold a lot of families back.

"I have a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of crying when I do have to turn a family away," Duncan said. "It's heartbreaking."

That's why legislators are pushing a bill to get insurance coverage for Missouri families dealing with autism. The bill would cover not only diagnosis but also treatment. It would mandate $55,000 a year in insurance coverage for autism treatments and therapies for children under age 21.

"Well, the biggest thing is early diagnosis and early intervention," Obrey said. "That's huge."

"Oh I have a waiting list [very] thick of families wanting to come into Rivendale, but they don't have the funding, " Duncan said, "So this will allow them this opportunity."

It's an opportunity that many families across the state need and hopefully will get.

Under the bill, a licensed physician or a psychologist must first approve treatment before coverage can begin. Its sponsor, Sen. Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, said it has widespread support in the House and Senate, as well as from the governor, so he believes it will pass.

If the bill passes, insurance companies that issue or renew healthcare plans after next Aug. 27 would have to provide coverage for autism.

SPRINGFIELD -- Statistically, more children are diagnosed with autism now than ever before. A private school here specializes in helping children with the disorder and their parents.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that one in 100 children is diagnosed as autistic. That statistic shows the need exists for services, and the Rivendale Center for Autism is just trying to keep up.

One year ago, Chase Obrey could hardly speak.

"He made a lot of noise, a lot of screaming,” said his mother, Elizabeth Obrey.

That makes his progress all the more amazing to his mom.

"He's excelling well beyond all expectations,” she said.

Chase has autism.

"It's regular kids to the extreme."

Where he used to communicate primarily with tantrums, he now uses words. His mom credits his progress with early intervention, something it seems more and more children require.

"I have the privilege of hearing children say, ‘Mommy,’ for the first time,” said Kerri Duncan, director of Rivendale.

When Duncan started with Rivendale not quite a decade ago, about 1 in 300 children received the diagnosis. Now, that's up to 1 in 300.

"That increase means we have more children we need to serve,” she said.

This year, they made a move in that direction.

"We've doubled in size,” said Duncan.

With a new building, the center now accommodates four classrooms with four kids each, meaning 16 students now receive specialized attention year-round with a focus on verbal communication -- as long as it's required.

"If we can catch them early, we can move them back to public school,” sand Duncan.

That's the goal for all of these kids. By the numbers, it's attainable for about half. Chase's teachers and his mom think he'll be part of that group.

"He's now practically a typical 4-year-old boy,” said Obrey.

Chase also has an older brother and sister who have been diagnosed with autism. His sister is 17, and Obrey says she is in every way a typical teen, enrolled in regular classes.

Even with more space, Duncan says Rivendale always has a waiting list. As of now, the new building has room for another classroom, so they still have room to grow in the next few years.