RE: ECI

[Guest guest]

I am so thankful that you brought this up! I had no idea that this law had

changed! I will change my papers to be sure that they fit the updated

information.

Here is what I found from the Texas ECI website....

The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) Division for

Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECI) is committed to working with local

providers and families to ensure that state ECI policies support families. In

2004, ECI programs were required to begin charging a family cost share based on

each family's ability to pay for services. Soon after, parents and providers

voiced concerns. ECI responded by conducting a study of alternatives.

Fees were reduced and the sliding scale fee scale was simplified.

Family fee levels are now reviewed every six months with the Individual

Family Service Plan. Between reviews, the fee will not go up, regardless of

changes in income or services. The family can still request an additional review

to reduce the fee at any time.

Families are no longer required to report expenses. The lengthy income and

expense verification was streamlined.

Families who have health insurance for their ECI child, and give ECI consent

to bill the insurance for services, have an initial six month fee waiver to

allow time to establish insurance billing. After the initial six months,

families must pay the Family Cost Share in future months only if insurance

denies all reimbursements.

Programs are no longer required to report the actual cost of services monthly

unless the parent requests.

ECI State Office and local ECI providers hope that the lower fees and

streamlined procedures will make ECI services more workable for Texas families

who use ECI services.

Thanks!

Kristy

" , - Kenton County " wrote:

You have to pay on a sliding scale based on your income. For instance,

I had to pay $30 per month for Molly's services. They look at your total family

income and the number of people in the family to determine how much you pay.

A.

Special Educator

Simon Kenton HS

11132 Madison Pk.

Independence, KY 41051

(859)960-0348

cynthia.jones@...

________________________________

From: MosaicDS on behalf of Kristy Colvin

Sent: Wed 1/3/2007 4:24 PM

To: MosaicDS

Subject: Re: I need your help!

I am very confused! ECI is a federal program that is available to everyone

regardless of income. You should not have to pay for services through your ECI

program. I do know families who may pay for extra services so their child will

get more than ECI provides, but I can not imagine why you would be paying for

ECI. I will check into this and find out why someone would pay for it.

I am very glad to hear that you were selected to be on this committee! What an

honor!

Thanks!

Kristy

<lindacarr06@... <mailto:lindacarr06%40yahoo.com> > wrote:

Hi Kristy,

I just wanted to commend you on the facts sheet you

have provided for parents, and anyone else who has

some part in the lives of children with MDS. However,

I wanted to point out that ECI is not free of charge

to children 0-3. It depens on your income. I know

this for a fact, because I pay for the services. The

services I recieve are all worth it. On another note,

I was also selected by our local ECI to be part of the

Texas ECI Parent Advisory Committee. I provide them

with feedback on what parents' and their childrens

needs may be.

You are doing a great job!

LInda

--- Kristy Colvin <imdsapresident@... <mailto:imdsapresident%40imdsa.com>

> wrote:

> Hi Everyone

> I am working on some documents to be sure that we

> have most of the basic questions answered on our

> website. If any of you have visited our site

> recently, you know what we already have lots of

> information concerning MDS and you know that we are

> the only organization with such information. But, of

> course, there is never enough info!

>

> Please have a look at this particular document and

> let me know if there is any other questions that you

> feel are left unanswered.

> http://www.imdsa.com/Mosaic_Down_Syndrome_Facts.pdf

<http://www.imdsa.com/Mosaic_Down_Syndrome_Facts.pdf>

>

> Also, please look at our brochure

> http://www.imdsa.com/IMDSA_Brochure.pdf

<http://www.imdsa.com/IMDSA_Brochure.pdf> and let me

> know if you feel there are unanswered questions

> there as well.

>

> Feel free to browse through the whole site and

> give us feed back on what else you would like to see

> there. We are constantly working on providing you

> with the most up-to-date information and your feed

> back allows us to do that!

>

> So...PLEASE let me know what questions you feel

> are unanswered on our site! I really need your help!

> imdsapresident@... <mailto:imdsapresident%40imdsa.com>

>

>

> Thanks!

> Kristy

> www.imdsa.com

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

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