I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this . . . maybe it should go under Special Needs in Parenting. THere's no political action per se, that I know of, though I intend to write at least one letter to the Early Intervention section of the Health Dept. of my city.
My son is getting Early Intervention services, and just recently 38 centers providing such services were closed city-wide. The budget can't support them. I've heard it has to do with the federal lack of aid to the states, but am not sure. I just wanted to post here because I am so upset and because it is such a huge, sweeping, and harmful cut in services. The center ds was going to is closing and his last day is Friday. Our center alone closing means that about 40 families can't get their services there. We were very lucky and got another spot for him in another school, not too far away. But a lot of those other families aren't as lucky. They are really having to scramble. I hope that none of them have to go without services at all but our coordinator said that a few of them will. Or will get them home-based which is better than nothing but for some kids (my son is definitely one of these) it's the socialization that really mattered. I can't express enough what a difference these services have made to us and having them free, accessible, and so comprehensive has made an enormous contribution to our son's development and social and emotional well-being. I just felt like getting the word out there about this. I know, there just isn't enough money and they have to cut the budget somewhere, it just seems obvious to me that cutting it here is only going to mean spending more on down the line. When kids are older and their developmenal delays are learning disabilities and are are much harder (and expensive) to deal with.
My son is getting Early Intervention services, and just recently 38 centers providing such services were closed city-wide. The budget can't support them. I've heard it has to do with the federal lack of aid to the states, but am not sure. I just wanted to post here because I am so upset and because it is such a huge, sweeping, and harmful cut in services. The center ds was going to is closing and his last day is Friday. Our center alone closing means that about 40 families can't get their services there. We were very lucky and got another spot for him in another school, not too far away. But a lot of those other families aren't as lucky. They are really having to scramble. I hope that none of them have to go without services at all but our coordinator said that a few of them will. Or will get them home-based which is better than nothing but for some kids (my son is definitely one of these) it's the socialization that really mattered. I can't express enough what a difference these services have made to us and having them free, accessible, and so comprehensive has made an enormous contribution to our son's development and social and emotional well-being. I just felt like getting the word out there about this. I know, there just isn't enough money and they have to cut the budget somewhere, it just seems obvious to me that cutting it here is only going to mean spending more on down the line. When kids are older and their developmenal delays are learning disabilities and are are much harder (and expensive) to deal with.
:
All those kids who needed the hand up - if you did not have a specific diagnosis you were sunk..........I was never so glad (!) for Duncan's down syndrome because we did not have to "prove" disability.
Brook
