Stop Early Intervention Budget Cuts

Stop Early Intervention Budget Cuts!

Therapeutic Resources has recently learned about proposed changes to the 2010-2011 New York State Budget which will adversely affect the provision of Early Intervention Services to the children of New York State. The proposal will impact our industry in various ways:

Revise Early Intervention Home and Facility-based Rates. Under the proposed changes, rates for home-based visits would be decreased and the rates for facility or clinical-based services would be increased to ensure more appropriate delivery of services. This would make it difficult to adhere to the laws requiring children to be seen in the natural environment and it will also result in the loss of qualified and experienced EI providers and add to unemployment.

Allow Paraprofessional Behavioral Aides for Children with Severe Disabilities. Paraprofessional behavioral aides would be allowed to deliver applied behavioral analysis intervention programs to children with autism spectrum disorders and other severe disabilities. Rather than fully master’s level certified level special education teachers, this may result in less effective outcomes and will allow the least qualified providers to serve the most significantly needy children and families.

Mandates that providers directly bill claims for children enrolled in Medicaid as well as those dually eligible for Medicaid and private insurance. Every provider of EI services in the State will be required to become a Medicaid provider (Currently each municipality is responsible for billing third party payers and Medicaid). This will make it very difficult for independent providers and small agencies to participate in the program due to complex administrative and paperwork requirements.

Establish an Early Intervention Parental Fee. Historically the EI program has been carried out at no cost to the family. Under the proposed changes, parental fees would be established ranging from $45 (for family incomes 251 to 400 % of the federal poverty level) to $540 (for family incomes above 1,000 % of the federal poverty level).

These changes if enacted will not only effect the type and quality of services that can be provided to the children with special needs but it will also add financial burdens for the families. This budget has not yet been approved. You have the chance to voice your objections to your legislators and force them to stand against these changes so that children with developmental delays get the services they need.

You can call your legislator and/or state assembly representative's office to share your objections to these budget changes. It's up to us to protect the kids we serve! Thanks for your help!

To locate your local State Legislator, please click here.
To locate your state senator, click here.
To locate your state assembly member, click here.
For additional information please click here.

-Lisa and Marilyn