How to get Free Services for Your Child with Autism or Asperger's

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By doban
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If your child has Autism or Asperger's Disorder, access to the right support services at an early age is very important. They may include speech or occupational therapy, or sensory integration or behavioral support among other things. Those services can be provided by agencies that will charge alot of money. However, they can also be accessed for free and I will show you exactly where to go to get those services anywhere in the United States.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

If your child is under the age of three, contact your local Child Find office. I have given you the link under the resources section below this article. Child Find is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is a National Program. Contact them as soon as you even suspect that something may be wrong. They are free! They have a legal mandate to locate and identify any child with any disability. They also will connect you to your states early intervention services from birth until the age of three. At that point, the public school district will take over. Services they can connect you with may be anything from physical therapy (mainly for gross motor)and occupational therapy (fine motor, sensory needs, etc.) to speech therapy. Did you know that speech therapy can include oral motor supports needed for feeding and to support future speech?
Step 2

If you child is at least three or near three years of age, contact your local public school district. I was told recently that in one state the public school districts are not allowed to evaluate for Autism spectrum disorders. However, do not let them tell you they can't evaluate. If they cannot do it themselves, they have to take responsibility for getting it done. This is part of the IDEA law. They also have a legal mandate to identify and provide services for students with autism and Asperger's disorder. They can provide the same services if your child needs them (speech and communication supports, occupational therapy, behavioral and sensory supports among others). Did you know that public schools serve children from the age of three to 21?
Step 3

If your child is home schooled or in private school, contact your public school district anyway. Did you know that there are some related services (yes, again by federal law) that public schools have to provide for free to children who are located in their area even if they are not enrolled. Contact them if your child needs support services.
Step 4

Contact your insurance company, if you are insured. Many states have already enacted legislation that requires insurance companies to provide coverage for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). ABA is a method of providing and analyzing behavioral interventions and assessing their effectiveness. It also has the most research based support of any method of providing behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Other states, such as Texas, have current legislation proposed. Why not get everything your insurance carrier can provide? Contact them or check your current state law to find out if this is covered in your state.

Comments

Ladybugblue said

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on 5/4/2009 Thanks for the informative article on autism. 5*

BellaCasa said

on 4/26/2009 Excellent information. In Michigan, students can receive special education services until age 26. Most parents do not realize that their children can receive accomodations in college, so it is important to stay informed.