This bill will be heard for the first time in the Senate Health committee on Wednesday, February 3rd at 9am. It will be held in Hearing Room 1 in the Senate for all those who can come and show support for this bill. It is the second item on the agenda, so please be on time. You can also sign on in support of this bill once you arrive at the kiosks outside the doors of the hearing room. You must sign in at the Capitol once each session and then you can enter your support of a bill online from home.

Details of the Bill

This bill would create a task force that would look at policies, services, funding sources,what other states are doing, etc. in looking to improve services here in Arizona.

Please consider contacting your legislators to support SB 1181 bill so that a focused group can look deeply at the areas of concern for Autism in our state.

Here are the Senate Health Committee members that will be voting on this bill tomorrow so you can call and e-mail to ask for their support of this bill. It only takes just a few minutes of your time.

Paula Aboud
Member
(602) 926-5262
paboud@azleg.gov  

Amanda Aguirre
Member
(602) 926-4139
aaguirre@azleg.gov  

Carolyn S. Allen
Chairman
(602) 926-4480
callen@azleg.gov  

Barbara Leff
Member
(602) 926-4486
bleff@azleg.gov  

Linda Lopez
Member
(602) 926-4089
llopez@azleg.gov  

John Nelson
Member
(602) 926-5872
jnelson@azleg.gov  

Thayer Verschoor
Vice-Chairman
(602) 926-4136
tverschoor@azleg.gov  

If you need assistance finding your own legislators, visit www.azleg.gov.

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SB 1181

Introduced by Senators Aguirre, Leff: Aboud, Allen C, Burton Cahill, Lopez; Representatives Goodale, Jones, Pancrazi

AN ACT Establishing the autism spectrum disorder task force.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Autism spectrum disorder task force; membership; duties; reports; delayed repeal

A. The autism spectrum disorder task force is established consisting of the following members:

1. Two members of the senate who are appointed by the president of the senate and who represent different political parties.

2. Two members of the house of representative who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and who represent different political parties.

3. The director of the department of economic security or the director’s designee.

4. The director of the department of health services or the director’s designee.

5. The director of the Arizona health care cost containment system administration or the director’s designee.

6. The superintendant of public instruction or the superintendant’s designee.

7. One employee of a school district in this state who oversees special education services. The president of the senate shall appoint this member.

8. One representative of an organization in this state that advocates for persons with autism spectrum disorder. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint this member.

9. One representative of an organization in this state that provides services to persons with autism spectrum disorder. The president of the senate shall appoint this member.

10. One parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint this member.

11. An adult who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The president of the senate shall appoint this member.

12. A developmental pediatrician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17, Arizona Revised Statutes, and who has expertise in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint this member.

13. A behavior analyst who has expertise in autism spectrum disorder. The president of the senate shall appoint this member.

14. A faculty member of a university under the jurisdiction of the board of regents. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint this member.

15. A member of the business community. The president of the senate shall appoint this member.

B. The task force shall:

1. Review the coordination of services provided by state agencies, schools and organizations relating to the treatment of persons with autism spectrum disorder, including resources available to the families and other caregivers of persons with autism spectrum disorder.

2. Identify problems and recommend solutions regarding the availability of services to persons with autism spectrum disorder and their families and caregivers and the efficient delivery and coordination of those services.

3. Identify current funding sources for services provided to persons with autism spectrum disorder and determine if there are additional available federal or other funding sources that are not being used.

4. Identify and recommend opportunities for the sharing of resources of services to persons with autism spectrum disorder, including partnerships between the public and private sectors.

5. Identify evidence-based treatments and best practices for autism spectrum disorder.

6. Identify state models and service systems for persons with autism spectrum disorder.

7. Submit to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives an interim report of its findings and recommendations on or before June 30, 2011 and a final report of its findings and recommendations on or before December 15, 2011. The task force shall provide a copy of its interim and final reports to the secretary of state.

C. Task force members are not eligible to receive compensation, but members appointed pursuant to subsection A, paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 are eligible for reimbursement of expenses under title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.

D. This section is repealed from and after September 30, 2012.

Effective March 1, 2010 the Division will implement a family cost participation program for early intervention services. The Department of Economic Security Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) is authorized by Federal law (20 U.S.C. §1432(4) (B); 34 C.F.R. §§303.520 and -.521) and Arizona law (ARS 36-562(G)) to require parents/responsible parties to pay for a percentage of their child’s services. Children who are Arizona Long-Term Care System (ALTCS) eligible are excluded from this program. The amount a family may have to pay will be based on adjusted gross income over 200% of the Federal poverty level, family size and the costs paid by the State for the services their child receives.

If you have questions, please contact (602) 364-1379 or email your question and phone number to DDDHotline@azdes.gov.

Family Cost Participation Provider Packet

The legislature is giving legislators options for balancing the budget for the rest of this year, and projecting a budget for fiscal year 2011. Remember these are options, not adoptions. It is imperative that you contact your legislators, let them know that you appreciate the dire fiscal condition our state is in, and politely explain how these drastic changes could potentially impact your life.

Potential Options
- A 10 % DD reduction for this and next year for state-only services. Saves $910K for this year, and $2.2 million for 2011. We do not know when this would begin.

- A 5% additional rate reduction for providers for 2010 (no starting date specified). Would raise 2.7 million for this year, and 6.5 million for 2011, meaning we would be operating with a 15% total reduction, instead of the current 10%. We do not know when this might be effective for 2010.

- A reduction of Long Term Care financial eligibility down to 100% of SSI for 2011. It will save 6.5 million.

- The family income, not the child’s income would be used for qualifying for DD services. This would save $11 million next year. There is also a $26 million additional cut to DES.

- There’s discussion about referring a ballot question to the voters in the spring, with a temporary one cent sales tax (which would raise about one billion dollars.)

Click here to view the information distributed at the recent DDD Sustainability and Innovation Worgroup meeting.

Click here to view information from DDD regarding the 2010 budget cuts.