FDDC: Protect Early Steps, Florida's Part C Program

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From: Florida

Developmental Disabilities Council

Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 3:35 PM

To: denisekarp@...

Subject: News from Florida Developmental Disabilities Council

Protect

Early Steps, Florida's Part C Program

A crucial program - Early Steps - that protects Florida's

infants and toddlers is at risk of being discontinued. Early Steps

is administered by Children's Medical Services (CMS) in accordance with

the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C.

Through the Early Steps program, Florida provided critical early

intervention services to 41,940 children in 2008-09. A projected

shortfall of about $4.2 million for the 2010-11 fiscal year could

jeopardize the federal government's ability to provide a grant to

Florida. This shortfall would result in a substantial loss of

funding to the state and Floridians could lose this critical

early-intervention program.

How

Early Steps Helps Florida's Children

·

Early Steps offers early-intervention services to infants

and toddlers from birth to 36 months who have a developmental delay or a

condition that places them at risk for developmental delays.

·

Research has proven that the biggest impact on a child's

health and functioning is in the early years and that the child's first

three years are the most important time for learning.

·

Early Steps supports families and caregivers by developing

programs intended to improve children's chances of reaching their full

potential by achieving specific developmental milestones.

·

These milestones are essential to the development of a

child's ability to learn, speak and move at critical periods that

research shows lead to optimal abilities in later life.

Legislators Need to Hear Your Comments

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council is strongly

encouraging lawmakers to adequately fund the Part C, Early Steps program

so that we can continue to effectively serve all children with

developmental delays.

The Council will be contacting members of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee in the

Senate and the Health Care Appropriations Committee in the House as

well as Senate President Jeff Atwater and Speaker of the House Larry Cretul.

If you would like

to provide comments to your legislators on this issue, please feel free

to utilize the contact information provided above.

The

state needs $4.2 million to maintain Early Steps at the current level or

risk losing the federal grant that allows Florida to provide these

services that are critical to the health and functioning of all children

ages 0-36 months that have a developmental delay.

So far, the House has allocated $3.6 million in the

projected Early Steps budget but the Senate has not designated any extra

money at this time.

Because this budget issue is different in the House and the

Senate, it will be reviewed again during the Budget Conference meetings.

The Budget Conference is a process of negotiating budget item differences

between the House and the Senate.

Legislators

need to hear your comments. You can contact them by accessing the

links provided above.

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