Texas proposes cutting Children’s Autism Program funding

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The state of Texas is proposing to eliminate all funding for the Children’s Autism Program because of budget cuts, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The program helps pay for therapy through 16 providers across the state at a reduced cost based on need.

East Texas families say they will be impacted by the decision.

Families describe program’s impact

Raychel Hall, director of autism services at the Andrews Center Treatment and Learning Center, said the state got it right when it created the grant.

“When Texas brought out this grant, they got it right. They really did something amazing for their constituents and now, we’re in jeopardy,” Hall said.

Kasey Watson has an autistic son.

“It’s really kind of sad and disappointing that we’ve gotten to this point,” Watson said.

Watson, founder of Autism Moms of East Texas, has a 17-year-old son, Garrett Wood. Wood has autism and is high functioning. Watson said because of the state Children’s Autism Program, Wood has experienced growth.

“I’ve seen what it has done to my son. My son was supposed to be non-verbal. Because we have a support system and things like that like speech therapy, occupational therapy,” Watson said.

Center says hundreds of families served

Hall said the Andrews Center TLC started receiving Children’s Autism Program, or CAP, funds in 2017. Because of this, the center helped 300 families across Smith, Van Zandt, Henderson, Rains and Wood counties. Children with autism learn social communication, independence and functional life skills.

Hall said she fears there will be no replacement for that funding.

“I think cutting the program thinks about short-term cause but maybe not the long-term cause that can come with lifelong needs that are not addressed in childhood,” Hall said.

Hall said CAP helps with early intervention, and without it, autistic children can possibly get arrested, be placed in group homes and hospitalized, all because of unaddressed behavioral issues that can come with autism.

“I cannot emphasize enough that there is not another resource as substantial and impactful for this demographic as the CAP program is,” Hall said.

An East Texas autism director said a Texas proposal to eliminate funding for children’s autism programs would end a grant that has served nearly 300 families since 2017.

“Before we were able to get this service, you could only access (Applied Behavior Analysis) if you had a commercial insurance policy, which cuts out a huge part of our population,” said Raychel Hall, director of autism services at Andrews Center TLC.

She said the grant funds individualized work on social communication, daily living and independence skills, with early intervention as the focus.

“We’re able to work on so many things that are going to make a huge difference in their lives, their family’s lives,” Hall said. “Early intervention is the key to this.”

The director said Medicaid is required to cover ABA but is not a comparable service. She said families report two-year Medicaid waitlists, during which the center can serve families for multiple terms of 180 hours each.

Hall said services are evidence-based and one-on-one, with support from speech, occupational and physical therapy.

“Our goal is always to get them into an environment that is the least restrictive so that they can have access to everything that their peers without autism can access,” she explained.

Hall said TLC has other revenue sources, but the Children’s Autism Program-funded department would have to change.

“As far as finding a comparable revenue stream to make up for it, it’s not possible in my opinion,” she said. “I think it is too much to make up.”