NY EI Budget Cuts

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New York's Early Intervention (EI) program provides free services to

0-3-year-old children who have developmental delays or disabilities.

However, Governor Paterson's 2010-2011 state budget proposal would

require families to pay for EI, jeopardizing children's access to needed

services. Families earning more than 250% of the federal poverty level

($46,000 for a family of three) would have to make quarterly payments

for each eligible child. If a family missed even one payment, the child

would lose EI services and become ineligible for EI. Families who are

unable to provide proof of income would have to pay the highest amount

with no exceptions, impeding the eligibility of children in foster care,

children whose families are homeless, and children of undocumented

immigrants.

This proposal would burden families and force many children to lose

services that help them develop during the important early years.

Take Action:

Call or write to your state legislators and urge them to oppose Governor

Paterson's budget proposal to require parents to pay for Early

Intervention, included in the Health and Mental Hygiene budget

legislation (S. 6608/ A. 9708), because it would burden families and

force children to lose EI services. To find your NY State Senator, go

to http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm

<http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm>

and to find your NY Assembly Member, go to

http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

<http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/>

For more information, contact Randi Levine at Advocates for Children of

New York at (212) 822-9532 or rlevine@...

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