Local News

Budget Cuts in Therapy for Disabled Children Start Next Month

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Major budget cuts are coming next month for children’s therapy in the state of Texas. Dallas News explains, “Last year, the Legislature approved $350 million in federal and state Medicaid cuts, mostly toward therapy providers for disabled children.”

Those who support the cuts say that therapists get paid enough more than enough for their services, but the opposing side worries about how this will impact disabled children. Advocacy group Texans Care for Children executive Stephanie Rubin says that from 2011 to 2015, enrollment in the Early Childhood Intervention program dropped 14 percent because of budget cuts.

Others are concerned about what this means for the future. Any Baby Can spokesperson John Branham, told the Texas Tribune, “By taking therapies away from children, you’re not solving a problem, you’re just pushing a problem down the line. We’re trying to get these children school ready. The problem is not going to go away.”

Spokesperson for the Health and Human Services Commission, Carrie Williams, says that the commission “will monitor the Medicaid cuts to make sure they don’t hurt children,” while opponents say that children (especially in rural areas) will most likely see a disruption in care.