Nevada Parents Contend State Fails Autistic Children
There has long been discontent with the services provided in Nevada for children identified with ASDs. The Nevada Bureau of Early Intervention Services [EIS] provides therapists and other professionals to families to meet the needs of developmentally disabled children from birth to 3 years of age. This service is free to legal residents of Nevada. Unfortunately, this service has suffered from under-staffing (based on wait times and the fact that Nevada EIS “is currently in violation of a federal law requiring children to receive services within 30 days of their evaluation by the agency”) and what can appear to be indifference from the staff they do have.
Parents contend state fails autistic children [Reno Gazette-Journal]
Even before the state’s 4.5 percent budget cuts hit social services agencies, a Nevada program to help infants and toddlers who have special needs is already unable to meet its mandate, officials and parents said.
Long waiting lists have overwhelmed state workers who provide early intervention services to young children with disabilities. And while some parents are pleased with the state’s services — such as speech and physical therapy — some parents of autistic children say the state is falling far short of the goal to help children with autism.
They said proper treatment, which many experts say involves at least 25 hours a week of behavioral therapy, is expensive and labor-intensive. Some parents complain that the state agency avoids providing such therapy. But state officials said each treatment plan is carefully designed to fit the needs of individual children and that some sort of behavioral intervention is always included in autism treatment.
The Nevada Bureau of Early Intervention Services can’t serve all the children who already have therapy plans — a violation of federal law, officials admitted last month. EIS gives free help to children (from birth to 3 years) with disabilities such as deafness, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and mental retardation.
But when it comes to autism, some parents complained that EIS provides a minimum of help.
If parents want to comment about the stories, best thing is to send a letter to the editor, either via email, faxed to the editor at 775-788-6458 or sent by regular mail to: Reno Gazette-Journal, Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 22000, Reno, NV 89520.
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August 7th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
It is very good to know that the Nevada Bureau of Early Intervention Services provides therapists and other professionals to families to meet the needs of developmentally disabled children from birth to 3 years of age.I really happy to hear that this service is free to legal residents of Nevada.I appreciate for this kind work.But reading about the paragraph I came to know that some parents complain that the state agency avoids providing such therapy and you gave the explanation about the quarry very well. I saw many companies or social provider they do not give the proper answer of the quarry. I am very thank full to you to provide the answers of quarry. THANK YOU.