Autism Waiver Provider Meeting, Scope, Eligibility, Age Range and Spec Ed
Thursday, January 7, 2010 NOTE: None of the decisions on the autism waiver have been finalized, so please understand that Partners is presenting this information as a rough draft. Feel free to contact Karan Burnette at BurnetteKaranB@uams.edu to give your input.
The scope of the new autism waiver will be small, a maximum of 100 children around the state. The age of children and the length of waiver service will both be limited.
Where the waiver will begin is also uncertain. Regional rollouts make the most sense, according to Karan, to start where there are the most resources. A statewide rollout would be too difficult with children selected all over the state.
The new autism waiver conflicts somewhat with the HCBW waiver. A child cannot have both waivers at the same time. The child can participate in the autism waiver and stay on the HCBW waitlist. However, if a child gains an HCBW slot and refuses it for the autism waiver, he or she would drop to the bottom of the HCBW waitlist. All children with autism as part of their disability diagnosis can apply for the autism waiver, but then would no longer receive HCBW services for the non-autism disabilities.
The new autism waiver intends to use the three-part autism diagnosis of DHS, which requires an SLP, psychologist, and doctor to all agree on an autism diagnosis. Arkansas is the only state in the U.S. to require this strict diagnosis by three professionals. Only Schmieding and Dennis Developmental Center can do this three-part diagnosis in any capacity. Community Connections of Conway can do one or two of these intensive evaluations a month.
The age range for the autism waiver is for children ten years of age and under. It’s not clear whether the waiver will be to age 10 or through age 10. There is no lower age limit. If a child goes through the upper age limit, he or she would no longer be eligible for the waiver.
Karan then discussed how child age eligibility for the autism waiver depended on empirical evidence.
Selection for the new program will be by lottery, with a wait list then created.
Eligibility for the new waiver is again the ICMR LOC eligibility, or child needing “institutional care.” The child must have an autism spectrum disorder with substantial limits in three life areas.
The autism waiver is not educational in nature. In fact, the therapy program is not taking place at school except for a few social activities. The program is a home-based intervention with travel to various community sites. Autism waiver providers could expect to work many evenings, holidays, and weekends.
The waiver presentation ended with a plea for attendees to list any local people who could do the autism waiver.
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