ABCD Fact Sheet: Early Intervention Family Cost Share Changes Announced by the Department of Health and Senior Services
- The Department will maintain the family cost share at the current income level of 350% of the federal poverty level (FPL), rather than the proposal to reduce the level to families with income above 150% of the FPL.
- The Department will eliminate the two hours of early intervention services at public expense. The cost share for families with incomes above 350% of FPL will begin at the first hour of service and families with income below 350% of FPL will continute to receive early interventions services at public expense.
- As required under federal law, all families will continue to receive service coordination, procedural safeguards, evaluations and assessments, and the development of the Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) at public expense.
- The Department will begin the phase in of the new family cost share on March 1, 2004.
- The Department of Health and Senior Services will maintain its commitment to early intervention by maintaining financial support of at least the current State FY 04 funding level for the Early Intervention system.
- The Department is reducing dollar amounts for the upper tiers of the family cost share scale to address the concerns of families and others in order to provide a more reasonable monthly cost share for all income levels.
- The Department will proceed to eliminate the two hours of early intervention at public expense. Families with income below 350% of FL will receive intervention services at public expense. The family cost share will start at the first hour of service for families with income above 350% of FPL.
- The Department will clarify and clearly define extraordinary expenses a family may or may not identify to be used to reduce adjusted gross income. The Department will re-propose the actual definition of extraordinary expenses.
- The Department will continue to explore additional and alternate resources to help support early intervention system including a Home and Community-Based Services waiver and insurance.
- The Department will use more than 90% of revenues collected by the family cost share for actual services for early intervention.
- All families will receive monthly statements explaining services rendered, and associated costs and any family cost share owed.