Shortening waitlists and removing barriers
Here at Autism Foundation of Sauk Valley, we see the value in everyone. We want to be a catalyst for positive change.
Founded by a provider with an ever-expanding waitlist who has a son with autism on waitlists for therapeutic services such as speech and ABA, we know how much of a shortage there is in our area for providers.
And it's no surprise, given that it costs a premium to bring providers to the area and Medicaid reimbursement rates are so low. Even if we were able to get more providers in our area, the cost would be unsustainable long term. We can cry out to HFS all we want, but we all know the wheels of the state turn slowly and even the small fee schedule increases we see don't sustain our increased costs of operation from year to year.
Some of our children who need the greatest level of therapeutic support are those diagnosed with autism and related disorders. These families are often affected by financial hardship disproportionately due to a number of reasons, whether it's the inability to find childcare that can support their child's additional needs, needing to drive their child to and from appointments, being called to pick up their child from school, or something else, there are many barriers these parents face in maintaining full time employment. Unfortunately, being on Medicaid can create barriers for families in accessing treatment. It's a vicious cycle.
This is why the Autism Foundation of Sauk Valley was born, with a mission to increase opportunities for people with autism and related disorders. Our efforts include paying premiums for child-only private insurance policies for children with autism who have Medicaid and paying out-of-pocket expenses for families with outstanding balances for therapeutic services who are experiencing financial hardship and do not qualify for Medicaid. The Autism Foundation of Sauk Valley emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and support the community, and a desire for actions to speak louder than words.
Let's stop talking about how we wish things were and let's do something about it. Join us in increasing opportunities for people with autism and related disorders.
