Re: Help! Need legislative info on coverage of EIBI/ABA

[Guest guest]

Hi Regina. I'm in Texas...I'm a parent, not an special ed attorney, so I'm

no expert. However, here's what I know.

To my knowledge, there's nothing in the state code that compels ABA.

However, some legislation was recently passed that authorized an autism rule

study committee to evaluate the Texas autism supplement (all Texas children

with ASD are eligible for consideration of the services on the autism

supplement - services like ESY, in-home training, parent training, etc.).

The legislation was passed with the requirement that the committee be

comprised of at least 50% parents and that ABA be considered by the

committee. The committee has met twice, and each time there has been heated

debate about the language of ABA. We have excellent parent representatives

who are advocating strongly for ABA to be included in the supplement, but we

have administrators who apparently are not willing to let go of TEACCH.

Geraldine

[ ] Help! Need legislative info on coverage of EIBI/ABA

> ***please excuse off-topic crosspost; there is a certain amount of urgency

> for this request***

>

> Hi all,

> I could REALLY use the help of folks who live in states where there is

>

> State DOE support for EIBI/ABA services as the accepted methodology for

> ASD or at least reasonable access via IFSP/IEP,

> and/or

> Universal Health care coverage for ABA services

>

> Some of us in my state are looking for information as to what the

> statute or administrative rules are on these matters are in other states.

> Our goal is to try and draft/facilitate legislation to simplify the

> process of obtaining intensive ABA services (vs. eclectic services) for

> our early intervention/early childhood special education kids and to

> continue these services at some level into at least the elementary school

> years.

>

> In addition we are seeking legislative language/law for universal health

> care coverage for ABA/behavioral treatment. While a mental health care

> parity law was just passed here, many, if not most health plans in my

> state list behavioral treatments of autism spectrum disorders as an

> " excluded treatment " .

>

> Any advice from those " in the know " would be greatly appreciated! Any

> links to laws, administrative rules, etc. that reference coverage of ABA

> services would be very helpful since we need specific language to either

> serve as an example or to frame drafts.

>

> If you were involved in pushing/facilitatinglegislation and have any

> words of wisdom about how to approach such a campaign or how to best

> frame the case, I would be extremely grateful for your advice.

> Please feel free to reply off-list.

>

> THANK YOU in advance!

> Regina F.

>

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