Thursday, March 5, 2009

Flyer

I received a flyer on email, thought I would share, it has some good info.

Whether your child receives early intervention services from AzEIP, ASDB, or through DDD (ALTCS or State-only funded) any changes in services to your child and family must follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and must be:

  • Written, individually to a family (no mass mailing, not over the phone, not verbally only);
  • Written on the form called Prior Written Notice; Proposed using the Prior Written Notice and must include what changes they propose, when the change will go into effect, and why the change is proposed;
  • As the result of your child and family’s resources, priorities and concerns, and cannot be as a result of loss of funding;
  • As the result of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Team meeting that discusses the
  • Prior Written Notice and after the TEAM (of which parents are a member) decides on the changes;
  • Followed whether your child is receiving services through DDD (ALTCS or state-only), ASDB, or AzEIP;
  • Services can only be stopped is if the parents choose to withdraw their consent to participate or the child no longer needs services;
  • They can't reduce services unless the TEAM (Which includes you, (your spouse or other caregiver), therapists, and anyone else who works with your child (with the exception of hab workers) decides and you consent;
  • Once you file for dispute resolution services must stay in place without the proposed reductions;
  • If anyone tries to change/reduce or eliminate your child's services without a Prior Written Notice or your consent:
    do not sign any papers saying you agree;
    keep records of any services missed because you are entitled to compensatory services (they will have to make it up later) tell them they need to give it to you in WRITING because at that point you can appeal it

Further, cutting $7m from the 2009 budget and cutting services to families currently in early intervention jeopardizes another $29 million for this program! If the state cuts services to families with IFSPs without a family's consent or a Prior Written Notice than the state is ineligible for the stimulus dollars for this program, as well as for the regular federal money. That number totals $29 million for Arizona and cannot be used for ANY other program.
Contact AzEIP to inform each of them that you want to file a state complaint and begin the dispute resolution process to restore your child and family’s services.

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