Florida anticipates ending Early Steps services unless the State Legislature approves 6.9 million dollars in new funding this session.
What is Early Steps?
Early Steps serves children, ages birth to 36 months, who have medical conditions such as autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, hearing / vision impairment, as well as children with significant developmental delays. Each year, Early Steps helps these children achieve critical developmental milestones, starting them on a path toward success at home and at school.
Early Steps services include:
- Identification of developmental delays
- Multidisciplinary evaluations
- Service coordination
- Individualized family support plans
- Intervention services, therapy and support
- Hearing and vision services
Early intervention programs:
- Reduce the need for special education
- Lower the number of students repeating a grade
- Increase high school graduation rates
- Reduce future healthcare costs
The Funding Crisis
Early Steps faces a financial crisis almost annually due to increasing enrollment and flat state funding allocations. When the current, national economic emergency began, Early Steps had to rely on temporary federal stimulus funds to maintain services. Those funds ended in 2011, resulting in contract cuts for many regional programs. The Department of Health, Children’s Medical Services, which administers Early Steps, has now announced that unless $6,861,026 in new, recurring funding is appropriated, Florida will be unlikely to re‐apply for the federal Part C grant in 2012. Florida would then become the first state in the nation to end Part C services and would lose almost $24 million dollars in federal funds. This would leave more than 45,000 Florida infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities and delays without services.
WE must act NOW!
Thousands of contacts are needed to save the program!
- Find “Save Early Steps” page on Facebook, and post what these services mean to your child and your family.
- E‐Mail the message, “Save Early Steps” to:
- Inform friends and family. Ask them to advocate for Early Steps as well.
- Check with your local Early Steps for more information and recommendations.
Senator Negron
Senator Rich
Representative Hudson
You may download the PDF here. Spread the word. Help us Save Early Steps!
Hernando
Hillsborough
Citrus Park Therapy Clinic
Wesley Chapel Therapy Clinic
Manatee
To Whom It May Concern:
Our community and families desperately need this program as they cannot afford to obtain the services our local Early Steps program provides for their children. Insurances rarely, if ever, cover therapies for children with developmental delays. Without Early Steps, thousands of children will not be able to receive the assistance they need before entering the public school system, and by then, these developmental delays can, and most likely will, interfere with their learning and social interactions with peers. Please save our Early Steps!!!! These children are our future!!!!!
Save Early Steps so that our children can have a chance to develop as well as any other typical child.