Stroller-In Held Outside Governor Patrick’s Office:
Hundreds Turn Out to Support Early Intervention

 

Boston, March 2010 – Hundreds of strollers, babies, toddlers, parents and early intervention professionals packed the corridors outside Governor Patrick’s office Monday morning in support of early intervention.

Rain, sleet, and snow could not keep away the concerned parents and professionals hoping to raise awareness to the crisis that is facing infants, toddlers, and families across the commonwealth. Due to budget deficits for the current and upcoming fiscal years, devastating cuts to early intervention eligibility have been proposed as well as dramatic increases in parent fees.

The proposed increases are shocking and have many families wondering how they could afford to pay the fee for services that are so critical to their young child’s development. Under the proposed fee system, families who previously paid an EI participation fee of $180 would now be charged $1,200. Similarly, a family of four with two young children and two working parents who previously paid a $350 fee would now be billed $2,500. The maximum fee for a family with one child in early intervention would increase to $3,500.

Outside Governor Patrick’s office, families worried not only about the increased fees, but also about the proposed changes to eligibility. Many mothers, fathers, and early intervention providers believe that increasing the eligibility delay to 40% defeats the purpose of early intervention. “It takes the early out of early intervention” says legislative consultant Mary Ann Mulligan. Mulligan implored Governor Patrick to consider the cost savings associated with early intervention – providing services to children under the age of three prevents many children from needing much more costly special education services. Department of Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach attended the event as well as several media outlets including Boston’s WBZ TV.

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WBZ TV - The Boston Herald
Health Care For All - Facebook