NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — A leader in Tennessee’s disability community is advising parents to take a wait and see attitude toward new money the state may provide toward education and therapy for their severely handicapped children.
The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed a bill that would give parents $6000 to spend as they see fit on handicap services. The bill is awaiting Governor Bill Haslam’s signature.
Tara Mohendro is Executive Director of the Autism Society of the Mid-South. She says the way the bill reads suggests parents will have to surrender their rights to a free public education if they agree to take the $6,000. She says that amount won’t cover even half the cost of a private education, much less the other services special needs children require.
“When you add into that equation the fact that a lot of our children also need speech and occupational therapy that they’re getting through the school system it just doesn’t make it economically feasible for our parents to choose this option.”
Mohendro says if Tennessee legislators want to be helpful, they should pass health insurance reform requiring more therapy services to be covered.