GOOD MORNING I PEOPLE ARE AWAKE
I LIKE IT. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD
AND START WE'RE GONNA CALL THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON EARLY
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.
COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER I'D
LIKE TO WELCOME OUR MEMBERS
THAT ARE HERE ASSEMBLY WOMAN
SMITH ASSEMBLY WOMAN THAT GOMEZ
REYES WE ALSO HAVE ON THE
COMMITTEE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
REBEKAH BEAR QUE HAN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER BURKE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER DEEP ASSEMBLY MEMBER
FLORA ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCCARTY.
AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER RUBIO WHO
ARE ALL PART OF THE COMMITTEE
AS WELL THANK YOU MEMBERS FOR
BEING PRESENT FOR THE FIRST
HEARING OF THE ASSEMBLY SELECT
COMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT. ALSO THANK YOU TO
THE PANELISTS MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC PRESENT TODAY AND TO THE
TO THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING
THE HEARING ONLINE WANTED TO
FORM THIS COMMITTEE TO BEGIN A
MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT
CALIFORNIA'S EARLY.
INTERVENTION SERVICES AND WHAT
WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR
SYSTEMS. EARLY INTERVENTION
EXISTS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND
HELP THEM ACCESS AND COORDINATE
SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN THE
SYSTEMS ARE PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS. WHOSE HEALTH AND
DEVELOPMENT BENEFIT GREATLY
FROM ENGAGING AND EARLY
SERVICES WHAT CALIFORNIA'S
INVESTED BILLIONS INTO EARLY
EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE FOR
CHILDREN INCLUDING A HISTORIC
TWO POINT THREE BILLION AND
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. TOO MANY
CHILDREN ARE STILL UNDERSERVED
INNER SLIPPING THROUGH THE
CRACKS IN THE SYSTEM. THIS IS
AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS MILLIONS
OF CALIFORNIANS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE INCLUDING MEMBERS OF MY
OWN FAMILY. TODAY'S HEARING
WILL BE FORWARD THINKING WE
HAVE IN BLIGHTED SEVERAL PANELS
OF EXPERTS HERE TO DISCUSS THE
CURRENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S
EARLY INTERVENTION. SYSTEMS AS
WELL AS SPECIFIC POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADVANCE OUR
SERVICES THE FORMAT OF THE
HEARING TODAY IS BROKEN UP INTO
THREE PANELS FIRST WE WILL HEAR
NOR OVERVIEW OF CALIFORNIA'S
EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEMS FROM
CHILDREN NOW ONE OF THE LEADING
HER EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY
ADVOCATES WE ALSO HEAR PERSONAL
TESTIMONY FROM TWO PARENTS WHO
WILL DISCUSS THEIR
DIFFICULTIES. NAVIGATING THE
LANDSCAPE OF IDENTIFY
IDENTIFICATION INTERVENTION
SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN
DURING OUR SECOND PANEL WE WILL
HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION ON EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION WILL DISCUSS
THE RECENT REPORT WHICH
INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW
THE STATE CAN IMPROVE A RANGE
OF EDUCATION. AND IT PENSION
SERVICE WHICH WAS SPECIAL. IN
OUR LAST PANEL WE WILL HAVE
CONVENE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE FIRST FIVE ASSOCIATION AND
THE INFANT DEVELOPMENT
ASSOCIATION. DURING THIS PANEL
WE WILL LEARN ABOUT AN
INNOVATIVE PROGRAM THAT IS
HELPING PARENTS SUCCESSFULLY
NAVIGATE EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES WE WILL ALSO HEAR
ABOUT EARLY. SERVICE PROVIDERS
AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ACCESS
TO SERVICES AND SERVICE
DELIVERY AFTER OUR PANELISTS OF
INCLUDED WE WILL ALLOW TIME FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. IS MY HOPE THAT
WE HAVE A THOROUGH AND
PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION TODAY
AND I WELCOME MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE TO CONTRIBUTE BY
ASKING QUESTIONS OF OUR
PANELISTS. IT IS MY GOAL THAT
WE WALK AWAY FROM TODAY'S
HEARING WITH IDEAS ON HOW WE
CAN ENACT. REAL CHANGE TO
IMPROVE OUR EARLY INTERVENTION
SYSTEMS FOR CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS AT THIS POINT I'D
LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO ANY
MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE ANY
OPENING REMARKS. PLEASE
ASSEMBLY MISTER CHAIR. HI I
WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE
PANELISTS FOR JOINING US TODAY
I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT. TOPIC. I DO WANT TO
SAY HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE THAT
WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHOSE
BACKGROUND IS. IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND THE
GOVERNOR WHOSE PASSION MIRRORS
THAT. WHEN THE SPEAKER CAME TO
THE LEGISLATURE HE HELPED TO
BRING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE
CONVERSATION WITH THE SPEAKERS
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION.
COMMITTEE OF BECAUSE HE LIKE
THE REST OF US HERE KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION IS AND HOW THAT
REALLY IS THE EQUALIZER FOR OUR
CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
LITTLE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION'S
RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPED OVER
A TWO YEAR PERIOD. AND AFTER
THOROUGH RESEARCH. AND
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH
FAMILIES AND PARENTS AND OTHERS
I EMPHASIZED A FEW KEY THEMES.
THE NEED TO ENSURE HIGH QUALITY
AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO
PROGRAMS FOR ALL OF CALIFORNIA
FAMILIES THE IMPERATIVE NATURE
OF EARLY INTERVENTION
SCREENINGS AND SERVICES FOR
CHILDREN TO INSURE THEIR HEALTH
AND WELL BEING. IS TAKEN CARE
OF AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE TO
INVEST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM
CREATING A LARGE INTEGRATED AN
INTER AGENCY GOVERNANCE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROVIDE
SERVICES AND TO REMOVE BARRIERS
FOR FAMILIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
PROGRAMS. AS I LOOK OUT THOSE
OF YOU WHO ARE HERE IT'S
WONDERFUL TO SEE MANY OF YOU
WHO WORK ON THAT COMMISSION AND
MANY OF YOU WHO ALSO CAME AND
SPOKE TO THE COMMISSION. WE
KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE
AWHILE TO ACHIEVE EVERYTHING
THAT THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION'S REPORT. SUGGESTED
AND REQUESTED BUT I'M HOPEFUL
THAT KNOWING THAT OUR SPEAKER
OUR GOVERNOR AND MANY MEMBERS
OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE REST
OF YOU HERE. AND INCLUDING
NUMBERS HERE OF OUR SELECT
COMMITTEE. KNOWING THAT WE ARE
FOCUSING AT LEAST AT THIS
MOMENT ON OUR CHILDREN I KNOW
THAT THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN
BE DONE I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE
IN ADVANCE THAT I WILL HAVE TO
LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY BUT I'M
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
TODAY'S. CONTINUED
CONVERSATIONAL SUCH AN
IMPORTANT TOPIC THANK YOU
MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU. RIGHT
WITHOUT WILL BEGIN WITH OUR
FIRST PANEL I'D LIKE TO CALL IT
ANGELA RATHER MAIL FROM
CHILDREN NOW HAD THE BRAIN AND
WITH THE SHOULD DIG. GARCIA WHO
WILL GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF
CALIFORNIA'S EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES AND FIRSTHAND
TESTIMONY DESCRIBING THE
DIFFICULTIES. OF NAVIGATING THE
SYSTEMS. AB MEMBERS THERE'S A
DOCUMENT FROM CHILDREN NOW I
BELIEVE IN YOUR PACKETS. SO
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE GOOD
MORNING THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TODAY MY
NAME IS ANGELA ROCKER MEL I'M
HERE FROM CHILDREN NOW AND
TODAY I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT
SOME OF THE DATA RESEARCH AND
POLICY CONTOURS RELATED TO THIS
ISSUE FOR YOUR COMMITTEE. BIRTH
THE THREE IS A CRITICAL WINDOW
OF DEVELOPMENTS AS MANY OF YOU
KNOW IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF
LIFE BABIES BRAINS ARE FORMING
MORE THAN ONE MILLION NEW
NEURAL CONNECTIONS EVERY
SECOND. WE'RE LEARNING SO MUCH
MORE ABOUT THIS SO RAPIDLY FROM
SCIENCE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY SEVEN
HUNDRED NEURAL CONNECTIONS
EVERY SECOND. AND THAT
DEVELOPMENTS THAT FOUNDATIONS
FOR HOW FAR KIDS WILL
ULTIMATELY GO IN SCHOOL WHAT
THEY ARE AND AS ADULTS AND HOW
HEALTHY THEY ARE OVER THEIR
LIFETIMES. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS
FUELED BY RELATIONSHIPS WITH
CARING ADULTS WHO SUPPORT THEIR
GROWTH AND LEARNING. AS IT'S
EVER CHANGING ACROSS MOTOR
COGNITIVE SOCIAL AND LANGUAGE
DOMAINS AND THOSE ARE THE S.
YEARS. THIS RAPID DEVELOPMENT
CAN REALLY LEAVE PARENTS WITH
MANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AND
IT CAN ALSO MASK MISSED
MILESTONES IN ONE OR MORE AREAS
ALTHOUGH MOST CHILDREN PROGRESS
ALONG DEVELOPMENTS IN. TIMELY
AND PREDICTABLE PATTERNS NOT
ALL DO YOU AND AN ESTIMATED
12215% OF ALL KIDS WILL
EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY. RESEARCH
ALSO SHOWS THAT EXPERIENCES OF
TRAUMA AND CIRCUMSTANCE OF HIS
OF ADVERSITY DURING THIS
SENSITIVE PERIOD CAN INCREASE
CHANCES OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
IN FACT IT'S THE MOST COMMON
MANIFESTATION OF ADVERSE
CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OF
LEARNING A BEHAVIOR TROUBLES.
THE STAKES IN CALIFORNIA ARE
HIGH BECAUSE THE SHEER NUMBER
OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS WE HAVE
THERE ARE TWO MILLION CHILDREN
UNDER THREE YEARS OLD IN
CALIFORNIA THEY ARE MORE LIKELY
TO BE LOW INCOME THAN OTHER AGE
GROUPS THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO
SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN
ENGLISH AT HOME. THEY ARE MORE
LIKELY. TO BE ISOLATED FROM THE
SYSTEM IS MEANT TO SERVE THEM
BECAUSE PARENTS ARE YOUNG AND
HAVEN'T HAD AS MUCH EXPERIENCE
WITH GOVERNMENTS. RESEARCH
SHOWS THAT RACE AN INCOME BASED
DISPARITIES AN ACHIEVEMENT
OPPORTUNITY OPEN VERY EARLY IN
CHILDREN'S LIVES. AND ONCE
PRESENT THEIR MORE DIFFICULT TO
RESOLVE AND MORE LIKELY TO
PERSIST THROUGH CHILDHOOD AND
ADULTHOOD BUT THE RIGHT KIND OF
HELP AT THE RIGHT TIME CAN GO A
LONG LONG WAY FOR KIDS. I'M
DESPITE SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE
THAT IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENTAL
DELAYS AND DISABILITIES AS
EARLY AS POSSIBLE IS. CREATES
BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN
AND ACTUALLY REDUCES UNLESS
PUBLIC COSTS FOR INTERVENTION
CALIFORNIA IS NOT DOING IT THE
WAY WE SHOULD BE. LESS THAN
HALF OF ABOUT 43% OF ALL
STUDENTS NEEDING SPECIAL
EDUCATION SUPPORTER IDENTIFIED
PRIOR TO KINDERGARTEN. AND THIS
COMES WITH COSTS NOT JUST FOR
CHILDREN BUT ALSO FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS LA UNIFIED SPENDS ONE
BILLION OF IT SEVEN BILLION
DOLLAR BUDGET ON SPECIAL
EDUCATION. EARLY IDENTIFICATION
AND INTERVENTION IS A TWO SIDED
COIN TO GET CHILDREN THE
SUPPORTS THEY NEED YOU MUST
FIRST IDENTIFY THE CHILDREN WHO
NEED SUPPORT. EXPERTS LIKE THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
RECOMMENDS ROUTINE FORMALIZED
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING FOR ALL
INFANTS AND TODDLERS AT NINE
EIGHTEEN AND THIRTY MONTHS OF
AGE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
TO IDENTIFY WHAT CHILDREN MIGHT
NEED IN. TERMS OF SUPPORT A
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING MANY OF
YOU MAY HAVE FILLED THEM OUT
FOR YOUR OWN CHILDREN OR FOR
FAMILY MEMBERS IT'S AN AGE
SPECIFIC CHECKLIST THAT
PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE
KIDS ARE. AND ENABLES PARENTS
PEDIATRICIANS AND EDUCATORS TO
IDENTIFY PLACES WHERE A CHILD
MAY NEED ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT
TREATMENT OR SUPPORTS. FOR
CHILDREN WHO DO NEED ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT EARLY INTERVENTION IS
CRITICAL. IT CAN BE INTENSIVE
SUCH AS INDIVIDUAL SPEECH
LANGUAGE OCCUPATIONAL AND
PHYSICAL THERAPIES OR LESS
INTENSIVE SUCH AS CLASSROOM
STRATEGIES AT HOME LEARNING
STRATEGIES THAT PARENTS
IMPLEMENTED. IT CAN BE JUST
SOMETHING THAT A CHILD NEEDS
FOR A SHORT TIME OR SOMETHING
THAT THEY NEED OVER A LONGER
PERIOD TO GET THE BOOST THEY
NEED FOR. MOST IMPORTANTLY
BECAUSE INFANTS AND TODDLERS
COME ATTACHED TO FAMILIES. THE
EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEMS ARE
VERY EXPLICITLY INTENDED TO
ALSO SERVE IN SUPPORT PARENTS.
AND CARE GIVERS OF THESE VERY
YOUNG CHILDREN SO GUIDING THEM
THROUGH THE PROCESS
COORDINATING SERVICES AND
ENGAGING THEM DIRECTLY IN THEIR
CHILD'S LEARNING AND WHATEVER
INTERVENTIONS MAY BE DELIVERED.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD A SYSTEM OF
UNIVERSAL DEVELOPMENTAL
BEHAVIORAL SCREENS FOR EVERY
CHILD WOULD WORK HAND IN HAND
WITH THE ROBUST MULTI
DISCIPLINARY EARLY INTERVENTION
SYSTEM. IN REALITY IT'S AN AN
EVEN FRAGMENTED MAYES AND
THERE'S LOTS OF GAPS FAMILIES
MAY NOT KNOW HELP IS AVAILABLE
OR WHERE TO GET IT. FAMILIES
WITH CONCERNS MAY BE TOLD TO
WAIT AND SEE. THEY MAY FACE
LONG WAITS FOR SERVICES OR A
LACK OF PROVIDERS AND MANY WILL
END UP RECEIVING SERVICES FROM
DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT
WELL ALIGNED OR COORDINATED. SO
IF WE LOOK AT THIS FROM A
SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIA'S
YOUNGEST CHILDREN ARE NOT
CURRENTLY RECEIVING
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS AT
ALL. LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF
ALL INFANTS AND TODDLERS
RECEIVE A DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING AND LESS THAN ONE IN
TEN BLACK INFANTS TO. A RECENT
STATE OVERSIGHT REPORT AUDIT
REPORT EXCUSE ME. DOWN THAT ONE
IN TWO YEAR OLDS IN MEDI CAL
HAVE THE LOWEST PREVENTIVE CARE
UTILIZATION AS WELL. 42% AND
25% RESPECTIVELY SO THEY ARE
MOST CERTAINLY MISSING OUT ON
WELL CHILD VISITS AND
SCREENINGS. AND IT ISN'T FOR A
LACK POLICY. IN FACT ALMOST
EVERY GOVERNMENT SYSTEM THAT
TOUCHES YOUNG CHILDREN
HEALTHCARE EDUCATION CHILD
WELFARE PUBLIC HEALTH. IN MORE
HAS POLICY SPECIFYING THAT IT
SHOULD EITHER INSURE OR CAN
DOCKS ROUTINE DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENINGS ON THE CHILDREN THAT
IT SERVES. OF SPECIAL
IMPORTANCE AND I THINK TO THE
COMMITTEE AND TO OTHERS. IS
THAT THE HEALTH CARE MANDATES
ARE WHO. BECAUSE I 97% OF
CALIFORNIA KIDS DO YOU HAVE
HEALTH INSURANCE AND THESE
SERVICES SHOULD BE FUNDED
WITHIN EXISTING REVENUE STREAMS.
ON THE EARLY INTERVENTION SIDE
THERE CHALLENGES AS WELL. EARLY
START WAS CREATED IN NINETEEN
NINETY THREE THROUGH THE
CALIFORNIA EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES ACT IN RESPONSE TO OP
PART C. OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT.
IT'S ADMINISTERED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES THROUGH THE STATE'S
NETWORK OF TWENTY ONE REGIONAL
CENTERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. EARLY
START IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
IDENTIFYING LOCATING AND
EVALUATING INFANTS AND TODDLERS
SPECIFICALLY WHO MAY NEED AN BE
ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES THIS IS KNOWN AS CHILD
FIND IN OUR STATE. TO RECEIVE
SERVICES UNDER EARLY START
CHILDREN MUST DEMONSTRATE
ELIGIBILITY BASED UPON. THIS
SEVERITY OVER THE CUMULATIVE
NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
OR DISABILITIES THAT THEY HAVE.
EARLY START IS STRUGGLING YOU
WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS LATER
IN THE PANEL TODAY ABOUT SOME
OF THE CHALLENGES BUT FOR FIVE
OF THE LAST TEN YEARS EARLY
STARTED HAVING NEEDS
INTERVENTION STATUS WITH THE
FEDERAL OFFICE OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION PROGRAMS. AND THE
REASON GETTING DOWN TO FAX TO
ANALYSIS CALIFORNIA RANKED.
SHOULD THE CALIFORNIA RANKS
FORTY SIXTH. THIRTEEN FULL
PERCENTAGE POINTS LOWER THAN
SOME OF THE NEAREST STATES. ON
THE TIMING TO DEVELOP A CHILD'S
INITIAL SERVICE PLAN AND BEGIN
SERVICES. HI AND THIS STATE
SEPARATING IS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED
NOW FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO.
NEEDS ASSISTANCE BUT
SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE ISSUES
DO REMAIN. REALLY START ALSO
MIGHT BE MISSING THOUSANDS OR
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS
EACH YEAR. I NEARLY THREE OUT
OF FOUR CALIFORNIA CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS
UNDER THREE YEARS OF AGE DIDN'T
RECEIVE EARLY INTERVENTION
SERVICES. AND CALIFORNIA SERVES
A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF THE
INFANT TODDLER POPULATION BAN
ON NATIONAL AVERAGES ACROSS
OTHER STATES PART C. PROGRAMS.
IN ADDITION WHEN WE CONSIDER
THAT 12215% OF YOUNG KIDS
LIKELY ARE EXPERIENCING DELAYS
AND YOU DO THE MATH AGAINST YOU
MILLION INFANTS AND TODDLERS
LIKE IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THE
FORTY FORTY ONE THOUSAND THAT
ARE CURRENTLY BEING SERVED IN
THE PROGRAM. SO TO ME THE
CALIFORNIA IS A PLACE OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY SINGLE
CHILD WE REALLY MUST MAKE A
MULTI PRONGED STRATEGIC POLICY
IN BUDGET DECISIONS THAT LINE
UP WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE
DIVERSITY OF OUR YOUNGER.
CHILDREN THEIR FAMILIES WITH
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT BRAIN
SCIENCE AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT
WORKS WHAT WORKS IN TERMS OF
INTERVENTIONS. INSURING ROUTINE
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AN
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EARLY
INTERVENTION WILL HELP REDUCE
GAPS THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE
BEFORE KINDERGARTEN. HELP
CHILDREN GET OFF TO A HEALTHIER
START AND IMPROVE THE STATE'S
BOTTOM LINE AT THE SAME TIME.
I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO
INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVE ON THESE. ISSUES HI
HEATHER BREEN AND THE TEACHER
DEGRAZIA ARE BOTH PARENTS OF
CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. CURRENTLY
TEACH YOU HAVE DIFFERENT
STORIES THEY LIVE IN DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE STATE AND THEIR
CHILDREN WERE DIAGNOSED WITH
AUTISM AT DIFFERENT STAGES. YET
THEIR STORIES HIGHLY WITH A AND
SO MANY FAMILIES EXPERIENCE IN
OUR STATE WHEN ENCOUNTERING THE
EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM. HI
HEATHER TESTIMONY WILL FOCUS ON
THE ROLE OF IDENTIFICATION AND
COMPLEXITIES OF RECEIVING A
DIAGNOSIS FOR HER DAUGHTER. AND
WE TEACH HIS TESTIMONY WILL
FOCUS ON THE ARDUOUS NATURE OF
RECEIVING ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE
EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU LET'S
CONTINUE WITH US MONEY PLEASE.
MORNING THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
HERE MY NAME IS HEATHER BRAIN
AND THE MOTHER OF A SEVEN YEAR
OLD GIRL WITH AUTISM SHE WAS
DIAGNOSED DIAGNOSED BETWEEN THE
AGES OF THREE AND FOUR. I'D
LIKE TO SHARE OUR STORY OF
IDENTIFYING SOMETIMES GETTING A
SCREENING AND FINALLY A
DIAGNOSIS AND REFERRAL TO
SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA AND I
KNOW MANY OTHER PARENTS
ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR OBSTACLES
IN THIS PROCESS. WHEN MY
DAUGHTER AS ONLY TWO I DID
CONTACT REGIONAL CENTER
EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT SHE
STILL WASN'T TALKING SHE
BOBBLED SAID A FEW WORDS BUT
WASN'T MEETING THE MILESTONE
THAT I READ AND ON THE BOOKS.
AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION I
WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE SHE COULD
SAYS WORDS SHE DIDN'T QUALIFY
FOR SERVICES. I WORK WITH A LOT
OF CLINICIANS NOT ONE OF THEM
WOULD CONSIDER MAKING A
CONCLUSION ABOUT A CHILD NEEDS
WITHOUT SEEING THEM IN PERSON
BUT I HAD. A CLOSED DOOR ON THE
PHONE WITH ONE CALL. EVERY
PEDIATRICIAN THAT WE SAW DID
USE A DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING
TOOL. BUT THEY ALL GAVE IT TO
US ON A CLIPBOARD IN THE
WAITING ROM. NO IN ASSISTED US
WITH UNDERSTANDING THE
QUESTIONS INTERPRETING THEM. IF
I ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION I WAS
TOLD TO DO THE BEST I COULD. AS
FIRST TIME PARENTS WE HAD NO
REFERENCE. FOR WHAT OTHER
CHILDREN LOOK LIKE HOW THOSE
SKILLS WERE EXHIBITED IN OTHER
KIDS. AND WE WANTED HER TO BE
NORMAL AND SO WE TENDED TO FILL
THOSE FORMS OUT WITH THAT. BIAS
CLOUDING OUR JUDGMENT. IT WAS
OUR DAUGHTER'S PRESCHOOL
TEACHER WHO FIRST NOTICED SHE
TOLD IS THIS USING A LACK OF
SPONTANEOUS LANGUAGE BUT THIS
WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY
REASSURANCE THAT IT WAS
PROBABLY NOTHING. HER
RECOMMENDATION WAS SIMPLY TO
NOTE IT AND GIVE IT SIX MONTHS.
WE FINALLY SAW OUR PEDIATRICIAN
FOR REFERRAL AND HE ALSO SAID
IT'S LIKELY NOTHING BUT LET'S
GET HER A DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING JUST IN CASE AND HE
REFERRED US TO A CLINIC. MONTHS
LATER AFTER I HAD PULLED
RECORDS FOR A PROVIDER I HAPPEN
TO READ HIS NOTES AND HE
DESCRIBED HER AS GROSSLY
DISENGAGED. AT THAT ENCOUNTER.
I THINK HE KNEW I THINK THE
TEACHER KNEW. AND I THINK THEY
WERE AFRAID TO TALK TO ME ABOUT
IT. AND I MAY HAVE REACTED
BADLY I AM IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN
UNPLEASANT TALK CONVERSATION
BUT I ALSO WOULD HAVE GOTTEN
SCREAM CENTER SO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ON THE
FRONT LINES WORKING WITH YOUNG
CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS AND
GET SCREENINGS. DONE QUICKER
QUICKER. SO NOW IN THE MIDST OF
GRIEF EXHAUSTION AND ESCALATING
DIFFICULTY WITH MY DAUGHTER. I
STARTED INTO A CONFUSING
BUREAUCRATIC TIME CONSUMING
PROCESS TO GET A FORMAL
DIAGNOSIS BUT WITH LITTLE
GUIDANCE OR ASSISTANCE. NOT
HAVING GUIDANCE MEANT THAT I
MADE MISSTEPS AND THERE WERE
DELAYS. TO GIVE YOU A SENSE THE
INITIAL CONVERSATION WITH HER
PRESCHOOL TEACHER WAS IN JUNE
OF TWENTY FIFTEEN. WE SAW THE
PEDIATRICIAN TO REFER GET
REFERRAL TO A SCREENING IN
OCTOBER OF TWENTY FIFTEEN. IT
WAS ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE
WE HAD A DIAGNOSIS FROM A
PSYCHOLOGIST AT REGIONAL CENTER.
AND WHEN WE FINALLY RECEIVE THE
FINAL REPORT FROM REGIONAL
CENTER THAT OPENED THE DOOR TO
THE FULL ARRAY OF SERVICES. IT
WAS NOVEMBER OF TWENTY SIXTEEN.
SO WELL ALMOST A YEAR AND A
HALF SINCE WE FIRST STARTED TO
NOTICE SOMETHING WAS WRONG
THAT'S FAR TOO LONG. AND BY
THIS TIME MY DAUGHTER WAS
ALMOST FOUR. AND SHE DIDN'T
RECEIVE YEARS OF EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES THAT
MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THE COURSE
OF HER DEVELOPMENT. THAT WOULD
HELP US PROPERLY CARE FOR HER
AND I BELIEVE WOULD HAVE LED TO
A BETTER OUTCOME FOR HER. I HAD
WORKED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AS
A PROFESSIONAL. I SPENT FIVE
YEARS WORKING FOR FIRST FIVE LA.
I HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE A GREAT
JOB AN EXCELLENT HEALTHCARE
COVERAGE MY MOM WAS A TEACHER I
HAD SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO WERE
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS. IF
ANY PARENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO GET THEIR CHILD
DIAGNOSED EARLY. IT WILL BE ME.
MY DAUGHTER FELL THROUGH THE
CRACKS MY FAMILY STRUGGLED TO
NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. THANK YOU
PLEASE HELLO. MY NAME IS THAT
THE SAID A GRASSY ARE I AM A
SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN
WE LIVE IN A THOMAS
NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN SACRAMENTO.
MY TWO YOUNGEST CHILDREN AGES
SEVEN JACK LEANED. AND BRANDON
WHOSE AGE THREE HAVE AUTISM. I
WORK IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
AS A FULL BOTTOM IS AND I
MENTION NATION WHO DRAWS BLOOD
FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS IRON ABOUT
FORTY THOUSAND ANNUALLY AND-
THIS IS TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR
A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. IT WASN'T
UNTIL MY YOUNGEST SON WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AT THE
AGE TO THAT HE QUALIFIED FOR
MEDI CAL. AFTER MY CHILDREN
WERE DIAGNOSED I WOULD START
WANTED TO START SERVICES
IMMEDIATELY I KNEW EARLY
INTERVENTION IS THE KEY AND I
WANTED TO GIVE THEM THE BEST
POSSIBLE START. I KNEW SERVICES
WOULD BE EXPENSIVE BUT IT
DIDN'T I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE
SO DIFFICULT. TO GET THE
SERVICES FOR MY CHILDREN THE
NEEDS THAT THEY REQUIRE. MY
DAUGHTER IS NOW SEVEN AND SHE'S
CONSIDERED HIGH FUNCTIONING.
SHE WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH
AUTISM AGE TO AN AXIS ACCESSING
SERVICES TO OUR REGIONAL CENTER
WAS EASY ENOUGH BUT AT AGE
THREE THEY WANTED TO TAKE HER
OFF OF THE ALL TO REGIONAL
SERVICES WHICH MEANS. THAT I
HAD TO START THE PROCESS ALMOST
ALL OVER AGAIN AND FIGHT FOR MY
DAUGHTER SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T
LOSE THOSE SERVICES I KNEW
ABOUT THE LATTER MEN ACT AND SO
I TOLD THEM THAT THEY WILL NOT
TAKE HER OFF OF ALL TO REGIONAL
SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE
LETTERMAN ACTED THAT THEY
NEEDED A SERVER TISSUE IS
EIGHTEEN. SO WITH ACCESSING THE
SERVICES. THE TRANSITION TO THE
SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM WAS
SEVERELY CHALLENGING. THE
SCHOOL WAS INITIALLY NOT
ACCOMMODATING IN SETTING UP MY
DAUGHTER'S IEP AND I HAD TO
CONTINUALLY WORK WITH THEM. TO
ENSURE THAT SHE WAS AN
APPROPRIATE SETTING AND GETTING
THE RIGHT CARE FOR HER NEEDS.
BECAUSE EACH CHILD IS DIFFERENT
AND SO IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING
TO HAVE TO FILL THAT I HAD TO
FIGHT FOR HER TWICE. MY SON HE
HAS A MUCH HIGHER NEED DUE TO A
SEVERITY OF HIS DISABILITY AND
FORTUNATELY HE QUALIFIED FOR
MEDI CAL. WHICH HELPS COVER THE
COST OF HIS CARE WITHOUT THIS
COVERAGE MY CO PAY FOR ADVANCE
BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS SERVICES.
WOULD BE SEVENTEEN HUNDRED PER
MONTH. WHICH IS WAY TOO MUCH
WHEN I CAN BARELY PUT FOOD ON
MY CHILD ON MY TABLE AT HOME
HOWEVER ENROLLING MY SON IN
MEDI CAL HAS BEEN A HUGE
CHALLENGE IT WAS DELAYED AND IT
DELAYED THE AXIS OF SERVICES
THAT HE GREATLY NEEDED. I HAVE
SPENT COUNTLESS DAYS FROM WORK
OFF OF WORK ON THE PHONE TRYING
TO NAVIGATE HOW TO ENROLL AND
GET HIM COVERAGE THE PROBLEM
ALL STEMMING FROM DIFFERENT
INSURANCES. WHEN TRANSFERRING
MY SENT OVER TO THE SPECIAL
EDUCATION SYSTEM I RECALL THAT
THE AYE AYE E. P. CHALLENGES.
THAT I HAD EXPERIENCE WITH MY
DAUGHTER AND I THOUGHT IT WAS
BEST FOR MY KIDS IF I HIRED AN
ADVOCATE. BECAUSE THE USE OF A
PROFESSIONAL ADVOCATE TO
NAVIGATE THIS DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICE AS THIS SO COMMON AND
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY.
AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE A
QUALIFIED FOR AND WHAT IS A BET
BAILABLE FOR THEM THAT I OFTEN
LOOK TO ADVOCATE FOR MY CHILD
OUR OUR EDUCATE MY CHILDREN BY
BY. REACHING OUT FOR RESOURCES.
EVER EVER EVERY SERVICE THAT I
HAVE RECEIVED. THAT IS INTENDED
TO HELP MY CHILDREN IN THEIR
PROGRESSION AND DEVELOPMENT HAS
BEEN BECAUSE I HAVE FOUGHT FOR
THEM. IN MY EXPERIENCE THE
SYSTEM. OPENS UP ONE TO DEMAND
A NEW ADVOCATE FOR YOUR KIDS.
IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS
COMPLICATED. THIS AND IT SHOULD
NOT REQUIRED THIS MUCH TIME
ENERGY ARE HIRED HELP OF
PROFESSIONAL ADVOCATES NOW THAT
MY CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING A BA
SERVICES BOTH ARE DOING MUCH
BETTER MY SON IS THREE AND
STARTING TO BE VERBAL AND THE
SERVICES HAVE HELPED IN SOME OF
HIS CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS. THE
ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN A
ROLLER COASTER. THERE HAVE BEEN
TIMES WHERE I HAVE FELT
DEPRESSED. AND THAT I WAS IN A
GOOD. FOR MY KIDS. IT IS HARD
NOT BEING A SINGLE MOM OF
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS LET
ALONE ONE WHO HAS FELT SHUT OUT
OF THE SYSTEM AND I HOPE THIS
COMMITTEE CAN STUDY THE
PROBLEMS AND HELP FIX THE
SYSTEM. SO THAT OTHER FAMILIES
DO NOT HAVE TO ENTER WHAT WE
HAVE IT TAKES A VILLAGE. TO
RAISE OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU
FOR STARTING THIS IMPORTANT
ISSUE. THANK YOU THANK YOU
THANK YOU BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY I BELIEVE YOU'VE
IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON BUT
MAYBE WE'LL- TRY TO IDENTIFY
SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AT THE NOW
THAT MISS RAMA. RATHER MAIL YOU
HAD SAID EARLIER THAT THE
POLICY SEEM TO BE IN PLACE BUT
WE'RE STILL. WERE STILL
LACKING. WE CAN YOU EXPAND A
LITTLE BIT ON THAT BECAUSE I
FEEL LIKE IF WE HAVE THE
POLICIES OF TRY TO FIGURE OUT
FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE
AND FROM THE LEGISLATURE LIKE
WHAT MORE CAN WE DO. TO ASSIST.
I THINK THE AND THERE'S ALWAYS
OVER ARCHING FISCAL.
CONSIDERATIONS WITH THESE
SYSTEMS ESPECIALLY AS YOU KNOW
POPULATION NEEDS CHANGE OVER
TIME AND COSTS OF DELIVERING
SERVICES CAN GO UP AND
SOMETIMES THIS STATE FUNDING
FOR SUCH. SERVICES DOES NOT
CHANGE STAYS FLAT SAID THERE
ARE THOSE. I DO THINK OF A
NUMBER OF THAT I'M CHALLENGES
ARE ARE FISCALLY NATURE AND THE
THERE'S ALSO. THE SILOS ARE
JUST A PROBLEM AND THEY THEY
COME DOWN AS YOU CAN HEAR IT
LIKE THAT THE CHALLENGE OF
WORKING WITH. HEALTH INSURANCE
COMPANIES OR OR MEDI CAL OR
COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS ARE
SOMETIMES AND THROUGH REGIONAL
CENTERS MAKE BE OFFICIALLY
RECEIVING THE SERVICES FROM THE
REGIONAL CENTERS BUT IT'S
ACTUALLY LIKE A SUB CONTRACTED.
PROVIDER SO IT'S JUST A LOT OF
COMPLEXITY AND THAT DOES AND IT
JUST THE ELF TO. A LACK OF
ALIGNMENTS AND COORDINATION AND
SO FINDING SOLUTIONS THAT HELP.
PROMOTE A MORE COHESIVE KIND OF
THAT CENTER FAMILIES IN A WAY
MORE THAN I AND- YOU KNOW KIND
OF LEAVE FAMILIES TO NAVIGATE
ALL THIS ON THEIR OWN EIGHT I
THINK THAT THAT'S THE PLACE
WHERE THE LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS
MIGHT BE. YEAH I'M JUST TRYING
TO CHECK THE NUMBERS BRING AND
MATCH AND YOU KNOW THE LACK OF
GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE SO. AS
A PARENT WERE THEY. FIRST THE
FIRST BEGAN WHERE YOU GO.
PLEASE THEY HAD TOLD US TO LOOK
UP WITH WARM LINE WHICH IS A
PLACE THAT CAN KIND OF HELP YOU
BUT UNLESS YOU KNOW ABOUT WARM
LINE YOU DON'T KNOW THE
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ARE OUT
THERE I. WITH MY FIRST CHILD
DID NOT. ENGAGE WITH WARM LINE
I ISOLATEDAND I KEPT MYSELF
CLOSED IN BECAUSE I WAS
MOURNING. I WAS HAVING A MANY
DIFFERENT EMOTIONS. AND WITH MY
SECOND CHILD WITH AUTISM IT
LOOKED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE
I HAVE HMO. DEAD WHEN I
QUALIFIED FOR MEDI CAL IS
BECAUSE MY INCOME. WAS NOT
FEDERALLY A NAFF BUT IT WAS TOO
MUCH TO GET ANY OTHER SERVICES.
SO THAT. BECAME DIFFICULTY WHEN
THEY'RE TRYING TO RUN MY CHILD
IN THE HOUSE NOW OUR MOLINA ARE
THERE TRYING TO GIVE THEM A
SPECIFIC ONE. I HAD A HMO SO
THEN THEY HAD TO SAY I NEED A
STRAIGHT MEDIC COW WHICH WAS
FEE FOR SERVICE. SO THEN I HAD
A FIGHT AND CALLED THE MEDI CAL
EMBEDS MEN TO SAY HEY I NEED
FEE FOR SERVICE I CAN'T. BE
ENROLLED IN A HEALTH PLAN
BECAUSE I HAVE A HEALTH PLAN.
IS ALL I HAD TO. GET THEM TO
CORRECT THAT AND THAT'S ALL TOO
COMMON FOR MANY PARENTS AND- A
LOT OF PARENTS GIVE UP. AND
THEY. THEY JUST SAY I DON'T
KNOW WHAT TO DO. BUT I KEPT
FIGHTING FOR MY CHILDREN AND
THAT'S HOW I GOT THE A BA
SERVICES. SOON BECAUSE I KEPT
FIGHTING FOR HIM AND I REACHED
OUT TO THEM MEDI CAL OMBUDSMAN
SO DID YOU STOP YOUR HEALTH
PLAN TO GET A NO. I TALKED TO
THE MEDI CAL INVESTMENT IN
ASTOR WHEN I HAD TO DO. AND
THEY SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO
HAVE PRIVATE INSURANCE AND THE
LITTLE H. CO CODE WHICH
SOMEBODY MESSED UP CLARA GLEE
AT THE MEDI CAL OFFICE. AND DID
NOT PUT THAT I HAD PRIVATE
INSURANCE SO THAT TOOK SIX
MONTHS. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TOOK
THAT LONG THEY SHOULD A HAD IT
AT YOU KNOW DONE. BUT IT WAS.
BATTLING AN UP HILL BATTLE.
KIND OF BOB THANKS FOR
PERSEVERANCE YES BUT CAN YOU
DESCRIBE JUST FOR PEOPLE THAT
ARE PROBABLY WATCHING WHAT IS
WARM LINE ONE LINE IS A
RESOURCE CENTER THAT HELPS YOU
WITH I A P. IS FINDING
RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILDREN
TEACHING YOU OF WHAT TO EXPECT
HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM AND
THEY GOT A LOT OF RESOURCES
THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF WITH MY
FIRST CHILD WITH AUTISM. SOUNDS
LIKE THEY WERE IT A VITAL
LIFELINE YEAH THEY ARE.
PROBABLY FOR A LOT OF PARENTS
AND THOSE ABOUT SEEMING THEY
HAVE THOSE RESOURCE CENTERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. ARE YOU
WERE JUST LUCKY TO HAVE ONE
HERE I I'M NOT SURE I WOULD
HOPE THEY DO I KNOW THAT THEY
HAVE A HERE AND I REACHED OUT
TO THEM THIS YEAR. WHAT WITH MY
SECOND CHILD. IN MANY
COMMUNITIES DO YOU BUY IT
THINGS ARE ANY THAN ACROSS THE
STATE. THERE LOCAL VARIANCES ON
SOMETHING WE CAN. LOOK AT. AT
WHAT AGE DO PARENTS TAKE THEIR
CHILD TO GET A DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE
PARENTS YOU PROBABLY IDENTIFY A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER BUT BEFORE
IT ACTUALLY GETS DIAGNOSED YEAH
I MEAN IT WHAT'S THE TYPICAL
AGE THAT WE SEE MAYBE ACROSS
THE STATE MAYBE I WELL I THINK
THAT'S WHY THE A. P. RECOMMENDS
THAT CHILDREN GET THEM
REGULARLY BECAUSE THINGS CAN
SHOW UP OR AND YOU KNOW
DIFFERENT CHILDREN DEVELOP IN
DIFFERENT WAYS AND SO YOU KNOW
SEND. THAT THE IDEA THAT EVERY
THREE MONTHS EVERY THREE TO SIX
MONTHS AND THAT THAT FIRST
COUPLE OF YEARS OF LIFE THE
CHILD IS GETTING SOME SORT OF
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS IS
BEST PRACTICE AND DOT SHOULD BE
OCCURRING JUST AS PART OF WELL
CHILD CARE THE SAME WAY
CHILDREN ARE GETTING IN THE
DISEASE THEIR SCHEDULES OF
IMMUNIZATIONS OR SCHEDULES OF
OTHER KIND OF I'M HEARING
VISION CHECKS MOTOR TAX IT'S
THE IDEAS THAT IS JUST EMBEDDED
INTO HEALTH CARE. AND SO THAT
FAMILIES WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO
ANYTHING ADDITIONAL THEIR
PEDIATRICIAN THEIR OR THEIR
PLACE OF CARE THEIR HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER WOULD BE A WHEN THEY
SHOW UP FOR THE APPOINTMENT
JUST HANDING THEM DEVELOPMENT
OPINION THAT IDEALLY AND
REVIEWING THE RESULTS WITH THEM
AND TALK ABOUT IT BUT I HI. AS
ANY PARENT HE'S DONE IT KNOWS
IT'S NOT THAT EASY. AND SO WHAT
IT SHOULD THE SCREENING STARTED
BEEN RE SAYING ONE YEARS AND
THEY CAN. THEY ARE DESIGNED AND
THAT VALIDATED FOR DIFFERENT
AGE RANGES TO DEPENDING ON THE
EXACT AGE OF THE CHILD SO.
THREE YEAR OR IF A CHILD IS. IN
THREE MONTHS AND TWO WEEKS
THERE'S A SPECIFIC SCREENING
THAT THEY PULL OUT OF THE
LIBRARIAN GIFT THAT IS SPECIFIC
TO THAT PARTICULAR POINT OF
DEVELOPMENT SO CHILDREN CAN
START RECEIVING. DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENINGS AS EARLY AS RIGHT
AFTER BIRTH AND WE DO KNOW THAT
CERTAIN SCREENINGS LIKE NEWBORN
HEARING. ARE ADMINISTERED RIGHT
AFTER BIRTH YOU KNOW SO IT'S-
THE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS
IT'S MORE ON. AS A LITTLE BIT
LATER IN THE POSTNATAL PERIOD.
YES PLEASE WHAT WE REALIZE AS A
FAMILY WAS THE EYE CONTACT WITH
MY DAUGHTER AND THAT'S WHEN WE
BROUGHT IT UP TO THE DOCTOR
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EYE
CONTACT WITH ONLY PEOPLE THAT
WOULD WATCH HER. A BIT VERY
MINIMAL SO THAT'S WHAT GAVE US
THE WARNING SIGN I AM AND I GOT
HER DIAGNOSED AT AGE TO. BETTER
BUT SHE NOTICED A LOT EARLIER
BUT THE DIAGNOSES AND HAPPENED
FOR YEAH SHE WENT AND SMILE AT
ISSUE IN THE CASE IN THE EYES.
BUT THE EARLY INTERVENTION A
WITH THE UC DAVIS REALLY HELPED
HER A LOT. PLEASE ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WAS. REALLY
CRITICAL IN OUR CASE IS THAT
THE SYMPTOMS THAT SHE WAS
EXHIBITING MORE SUBTLE ENOUGH
AND I'VE READ THAT THIS IS
COMMON IN GIRLS NOT ISM THAT
THE SYMPTOMS DON'T MATCH THE
STEREO TYPE AND SO IS PEOPLE
ARE REVIEWING THIS. TOOL IT'S
BASICALLY A CHECKLIST OF THE
PIECE OF PAPER YOU FILL OUT THE
FORM. I WITH ALL THE OTHER
FORMS ARE FILLING OUT IN THE
WAITING ROOM AND- IN OKAY SO
FOR EXAMPLE SHE WOULD POINT.
BUT NOW I LOOK BACK AND I SEE
OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS AND THEY'RE
PLAYING AND EVERYTHING AND
THEY'RE MAD AT YOU IF YOU'RE
NOT LOOKING AT THEM. MY
DAUGHTER NEVER DID THAT BUT SHE
PLEADED SOMETIMES. AND SO WE'VE
CHECKED IT AS YEAH SHE POINTS
AT THINGS WHEN REALLY. I KNOW
NOW SHE DIDN'T POINT AT THINGS
THE WAY OTHER KIDS DO AND SHE
REALLY WAS MUCH MORE WITHDRAWN
THAN OTHER KIDS AND LESS
INTERESTED IN HER ENVIRONMENT
THAN OTHER KIDS. BUT IT WAS
SUBTLY ENOUGH THAT WITHOUT.
WITH AN UNTRAINED EYE. AND
WITHOUT THIS DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING IMPLEMENTED BY
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK
FOR AND KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE.
IT WAS MISSED. SO HOW CAN WE
EXPANDER. SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO
EDUCATE PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR THE
SIGNS. I MEAN WHAT DO WE HAVE.
THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF IN THE
STATE PROGRAMS THAT DO THAT I
KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF
ORGANIZATIONS THAT I TEND YOU
WILL HEAR LATER IN THE PANEL
FROM HOME GROWN ONE OF THAT ONE
OF THE KEY TENETS OF THE HELP
ME GROW APPROACH IS ACTUALLY
EDUCATING HEALTH PROVIDERS AND
EDUCATIONAL PROVIDERS ON CHILD
DEVELOPMENT AND ABOUT
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. IN AND EAT IN
A PERFECT WORLD A CHILD
WOULDN'T BE RECEIVING ONE
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING FROM
ONE PERSON ONLY YOU TO EAT YOU
REALLY WOULD HAVE LIKE AT THE
HEAD IN HEAD STARTS CHILDREN
RECEIVE DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENINGS FROM THEIR TEACHERS
AND THEIR PARENTS AND THEN THEY
COMPARE. AND THEY TALK AND NOT
REALLY WOULD BE YOU KNOW I MEAN
IT IF WE COULD CREATE HADN'T
CONDITIONS THAT WOULD IT THAT
WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR EVERY
FAMILY THAT WOULD REALLY BE
IDEAL. AND. SO YEAH BUT THAT
THE EDUCATION AND CHILD
DEVELOPMENT HAVING PEOPLE WHO
ARE TRAINED IN DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENINGS AND I AND YOU KNOW
ABLE TO HELP PARENTS US OUT
EXACTLY LIKE WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN DID YOU POINT FIVE OUT OF
TEN TIMES. AND THAT THAT IS KEY
AND AT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY AS YOU
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORK
FORCE. SO. THANK YOU. AND SO
EARLIER I FORGET SOMEONE
MENTIONED PARENTS DROPPING OFF
BECAUSE IT JUST GOT SO
DIFFICULT WHAT AGE DO WE
USUALLY SEE THAT AND- JUST TRY
TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE HELP.
AT AGE THREE AT AGE THREE YEAH
A LOT OF TIMES ALL TO REGIONAL
WILL BACK OFF AND SAY THAT THEY
DO NOT QUALIFY FOR SERVICES
THEY TRIED TO DO THAT WITH MY
DAUGHTER. I HAD TO GO TO A
PANEL AND SAY THAT THIS IS A
SAFETY ISSUE I HAD TO LET THEM
KNOW THAT SHE WAS RUNNING OUT
IN THE STREET. ARE TAKING OFF
OUT OF THE HOUSE AND TELLING
THEM HEY THE LATTER MEN ACCESS
YOU HAVE TO HELP MY CHILD TO
THE SHE'S EIGHTEEN SO I'VE
FOUGHT FOR THOSE SERVICES. ALSO
I TRY TO FIGHT AND EDUCATE
MYSELF AND LOOK FOR RESOURCES
THAT ARE OUT THERE LIKE PARENT
TRAINING OUR PARENT ADVOCATE SO
THAT I COULD ADVOCATE FOR MY
CHILD. BUT NOT ALL PARENTS ARE
AS EAGER. AS ME BECAUSE THEY
YOU DO GET DEPRESSED YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU'RE NOT ENOUGH FOR YOUR
CHILD. AND THAT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO. FIGHT WHAT THEY
WHAT THEY MYSELF BECAUSE I WANT
THE BEST FOR THEM. ON THE
POLICY JUST THE NATURE OF THE
EARLY START SYSTEM AND I SHOULD
HAVE CLARIFIED THIS AND IN THE
REMARKS I PROVIDED IT'S EARLY
START SERVES CHILDREN UNTIL
AND- THEIR TWO YEARS NINE
MONTHS AT WHICH POINT THE
TRANSITION TO THE PART B. OF
THE INDIVIDUAL SAYS PLEASE I.
EDUCATION ACT WHICH IN
CALIFORNIA IS IMPLEMENTED
THROUGH LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
AGENCIES AND IS PART OF THE K.
TWELVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM
SO. A THREE YEAR OLD ARE STILL
VERY LITTLE BUT THEIR PARENTS
ARE THEY THEY NATURE THERE'S A
BIFURCATION BETWEEN. THE ID A
SERVICES FOR CHILDREN THAT ARE
UNDER THREE AND THOSE THAT ARE
OVER PASSED THEIR THIRD
BIRTHDAY. YEAH I'M JUST YEAH
YEAH BE THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW
YEP YOUR PARENTS THAT ARE EAGER
SOME OF THAT WORK FOR FIRST
FIVE IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG TO
GET DIAGNOSED ON. THINKING
ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER
FAMILIES THAT. YOU KNOW DON'T
HAVE THAT SUPPORTER DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW MUCH
LATER THAT DIAGNOSIS IS COMING
COMPARED TO WE DO INTERVENING
EARLY JUST MAKES A WORLD OF
DIFFERENCE FOR THE OUTCOMES I
KNOW ASSEMBLY WOMAN SMITH HAS
A- QUESTION PLEASE. THANK YOU
TO BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY AND I HAVE SAID
NGUYEN OTHER PARENTS COME TO US
IN SACRAMENTO THE MOST FEARS
ADVOCACY IS THE WORK THAT YOU
DO ON BEHALF OF YOUR OWN
CHILDREN AND CLEARLY BOTH OF
YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT. THE
BEAUTY OF YOUR HARD WORK THOUGH
IS THAT NOW THAT WILL TRANSLATE
TO BENEFITS FOR OTHER CHILDREN
STATEWIDE SO WE APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE AND TELLING YOUR
STORIES WHICH I KNOW ARE VERY
PERSONAL. AND STILL PRESENT
CHALLENGES BECAUSE ANY PARENT
OF A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD LIVES
WITH A LIFELONG. ADDED
CHALLENGE AS A PARENT SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF
CALIFORNIA'S KIDS. AND THAT
BEING SAID THE TEACHING YOU
MENTIONED HIRING AN ADVOCATE
AND THIS IS ONE POLICY AREA I'M
PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FIRST OF
ALL IN THIS ADVOCACY SPACE.
RATES THAT FAMILIES ARE CHARGED
RANGE HUGH DRAMATICALLY AND
HUGELY AND IN SOME INSTANCES
FAMILIES ARE REALLY BEING WELL
SERVED BY THE ADVOCACY
COMMUNITY SO IF YOU WOULDN'T
MIND GOING INTO A LITTLE BIT
MORE DETAIL ON. HOW YOU FOUND
YOUR ADVOCATE IT DID YOU FEEL
THAT THE SERVICES WERE
BENEFICIAL BEYOND WHAT YOU WERE
ABLE TO ACHIEVE ON YOUR OWN AND
WHAT POLICY EVERYTHING'S WOULD
YOU RECOMMEND IN IN SPACE OKAY
WELL I GOT AN ARABIC. BECAUSE I
FELL I HAD SO MUCH GOING ON IN
HAVING TWO CHILDREN THAT HAVE
AUTISM LIKE I SAID I HAVE THREE
CHILDREN HAVE ANDREW WHO'S
NINE. AM HE'S A TYPICAL GROWING
CHILD BUT I HAVE TO ARTISTIC
CHILDREN AND I WAS DEALING WITH
MY DAUGHTER WHO SEVEN. IN
DEALING WITH HER IP AND THEN I
HAVE BRANDON WHOSE NEWLY
DIAGNOSED AND I HAD HIS IP AND
I DIDN'T FEEL PREPARED ENOUGH
ARE THAT I WAS READY FOR THAT
MEETING. BECAUSE SOMETIMES I
FEEL LIKE THEY DISTRICT GROUP
THE I EP TOGETHER THEY TAKE OUT
THE NAME IT DON'T INDIVIDUALIZE
IT TO THAT CHILD AS. WELL SO I
SAID OKAY LET ME GET AT
ADVOCATE. EXPERIENCE WITH THAT
THE KID WAS HORRIBLE. I PAID A
HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS TO
HAVE HER COME IN AND RUIN THE I
EP SHE PUT THE IP ON HOLD AS
YOU PUT IT OFF FOR A WEEK. I
FIRED HER. I SAID THIS IS NOT
HOW I'M GONNA REPRESENT MYSELF
WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO
BE TAKING CARE OF MY CHILD. AND
IT FELT TO ME LIKE IT WAS ABOUT
MONEY THAT SHE WANTED TO PUSH
IT OFF SO THAT SHE CAN GET PAID
MORE. I WISH I WOULD HAVE DONE
MY RESEARCH I WAS GIVING HER
HER NAME BY I WORK IN A
HOSPITAL. BY A PATIENT THAT I
OOK CARE OF HER MOTHER SAID
THIS IS A GREAT ADVOCATE SHE
WILL GET THE SERVICES FOR YOUR
CHILD SO I JUST WENT OFF OF
WHAT A PARENT HAD TOLD ME. AND
IT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE
THAT I HAD. BUT MOVING FORWARD
I FEEL THAT I'M STRONG ENOUGH
TO ADVOCATE FOR MY CHILD NOW I
GET PARENTS CHAINING THROUGH UC
DAVIS WHICH IS A FREE SERVICE.
I REACH OUT AND I TRY TO
EDUCATE MYSELF AS MUCH AS I CAN
SO THAT I AM ADVOCATING FOR MY
CHILD. AND IF I FELT THAT I
NEEDED WHEN I WOULD DEFINITELY
DO A LOT MORE RESEARCH. ARE
REACHING OUT TO WARM LINE M.
MORE NOW. DID I ANSWER
EVERYTHING PLACE. I ALSO HIRED
AN ADVOCATE FOR AND- LIVING IN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND I PAID
MORE I PAID ABOUT EIGHT HUNDRED
DOLLARS TOTAL. I FOUND HER TO
BE OF VALUE SHE DID ASSIST ME
WITH A NUMBER OF THINGS BUT
THEY WERE A FEW THINGS. MOST OF
WHAT SHE DID I COULD HAVE
HANDLED MYSELF AND QUITE
FRANKLY IF SOMEBODY HAD SAT ME
DOWN AND GIVEN ME TRAINING ON
HOW TO NAVIGATE THE IEP PROCESS
WHO WASN'T PART OF THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT GIVES YOU THEIR YEAR.
YOU KNOW PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT
REQUIRED ILLEGALLY DAVID. THE
REALITY IS THEY HAVE A
FINANCIAL DISINCENTIVE TO
ASSIST YOU IN GETTING
EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED SO YOU
DO HAVE TO GO IN AN ADVOCATE.
I'VE HAD. JUST AS MUCH SUCCESS
WORKING ABOUT IN CONTRA COSTA
COUNTY KNOW AND THEY WORK WITH
AN ORGANIZATION CALLED DRIED
OFF. AND THEY- ARE NONPROFIT
THEY TRAIN PARENTS FOR FREE
ONLINE PROCESS AND I'VE GOTTEN.
JUST AS GOOD OF JUST IN EQUALLY
HOPEFUL INFORMATION AND
ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FROM
THEM THAT I PAID EIGHT HUNDRED
DOLLARS FOR AND I WAS FORTUNATE
THAT I HAD THE MEANS THAT I
COULD DO THAT BUT- MOST PARENTS
DON'T. IN EITHER OF YOUR CASES
WHERE THE ADVOCATES THAT YOU
SELECTED AFFILIATED WITH A LAW
FIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN THIS
TYPE OF WORK NOW. I DON'T KNOW
THAT MY ADVOCATE WAS AFFILIATED
WITH A LAW FIRM BUT I HAPPENED
AT THAT TIME TO WORK FOR THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY BAR
ASSOCIATION AND I RECEIVED A
REFERRAL TO HER THROUGH A
LAWYER. OKAY THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLY WOMAN GOMEZ REYES
PLEASE THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU
KNOW ONE OF THE COMMENTS YOU
MADE WAS THE BEGINNING
ESPECIALLY THE TO YOU FELT
DEPRESSED AND FELT THAT YOU
WERE NOT ENOUGH I WANTED TO
KNOW YOU ARE ENOUGH NOT ONLY
FOR YOUR CHILDREN BUT FOR THE
OTHER CHILDREN WHO JUST AS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SMITH SAID
THERE'S SO MANY OF THE CHILDREN
ARE GOING TO BENEFIT BECAUSE
YOU HAVE BEEN ENOUGH FOR YOUR
CHILDREN AND THAT HAS SPILLED
OUT TO FOR SO MANY OTHERS SO
THANK YOU BOTH FOR SHARING
THAT. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
ARE YOUR INPUT THE END IN THIS
TYPE OF A HEARING OR THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION IT'S THE
PARENTS TESTIMONY THAT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE
TO DO THAT PLEASE I WANTED TO
COMMENT TO CHILDREN NOW THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE HAS
BEEN PHENOMENAL AND EVE FOR US
AS LEGISLATORS HAVING A
PARTNERS LIKE LIKE THE
ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT TO
OUR WORK HAVING YOU TALK TO US
ABOUT THE ISSUES. EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE THE SOLUTIONS BUT TO
TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED THEN PROVIDES
US THE OPPORTUNITY TO THEN LOOK
TO WHAT THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
CAN BE. IT DOES CONCERN ME
TREMENDOUSLY WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT. THE FACT THAT ONLY 43%
OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE THEY
SHOULD RECEIVE. HOW DO WE FIX
THAT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO.
BEYOND POLICY AND OF COURSE
THEN WE HAVE THE BUDGET BUT
WHAT MORE CAN WE DO THAT YOU
CAN SEE FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT.
THANK YOU EIGHT CONCERNS ALL OF
US AND I THINK THAT THAT'S.
STATE THEY BE LARGER THAN
FOURTEEN OTHER STATES IN THE U.
S. THAT'S HOW MANY BABIES WE
HAVE HERE AND SO IT'S AN
ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY I THINK
FOR POLICYMAKERS AND I'M JUST
I'M I'M SO GRATEFUL TO
LEGISLATURE FOR CONTINUING TO
PAY ATTENTION. TO THE YOUNGEST
CHILDREN THEIR FAMILIES AND YOU
KNOW IT'S THE SOLUTIONS ARE TO
BE MULTI FACETED THESE ARE
COMPLEX SYSTEMS THERE'S
HISTORICAL BUT HE- CHALLENGES
AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO TAKE
PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER AND
HASHING THINGS OUT AND- YOU
KNOW TALKING IT'S GOING TO
REQUIRE A PACKAGE PROBABLY AS-
DIFFERENT POLICY IN BUDGETARY
SOLUTIONS BUT I DO THINK THAT.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE THE
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION REPORT.
BOB WILL HELP TO GET A FAIR AND
ADDITIONALLY SOME OF THE
PROGRAM YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT LIKE
HELP HELP ME GROW LEADER IN
SOME OF THE- CHALLENGES AROUND
THE CURRENT CHALLENGES AROUND
THE REGIONAL CENTER SYSTEM.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS WE CAN
DO I'M MORE NEAR TERM. THAT
WILL THAT WILL HELP I'M I'M
HAPPY TO. HAVE A FOUR FIVE HOUR
CONVERSATION WITH YOU AS WELL.
ANY OTHER TIME ABOUT NOW.
TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
THAT WERE FISCAL IN NATURE YOU
TALKED ABOUT THE SILOS.
CENTERING FAMILIES AND THAT
NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM HAVING
ADVOCATES I WONDER. IT THERE IS
A BILL THAT IS PENDING EIGHTY
SIX OUT OF TO PROVIDE FOR AID
NEW DEPARTMENT OR A NEW FOCUS
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION. AND I HAPPEN TO BE
THE AUTHOR OF. BUT THE BUT THE
IT CAME NOT AS A RESULT OF MY
BEING SUCH A BRILLIANT
LEGISLATOR ALTHOUGH I THINK
THAT I AM BUT- IT REALLY CAME
AS A RESULT OF THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION. OUT AFTER TWO YEARS
OF ALL OF THIS WORK WITH THE
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHEN WE
HAVE THE SILOS AND DON'T TALK
TO EACH OTHER THAT IS A PROBLEM
AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION. AND
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT
WE WANT EIGHT EIGHT EIGHT.
MAYBE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A
BRANCH BUT IT'S GOING TO BE
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. SPECIFICALLY SO THAT
ALL OF THE SILOS ARE TALKING TO
EACH OTHER SO THAT WHEN THE
PARENTS. TRY TO GET HELP THAT
THERE'S AT AS THEY'VE SAID IN
SO MANY OTHER AREAS THERE'S NO
WRONG DOOR. HOWEVER YOU COME
INTO THE SYSTEM ASKING FOR
ASSISTANCE. YOU WILL THEN BE
DIRECTED TO WHOEVER. WHOEVER OR
WHATEVER DEPARTMENT CAN HELP
YOU BEST. IN AGAIN I REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL OF THE INPUT
FROM FROM THE ORGANIZATION. AND
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
COMMENTS THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU THANK
YOU MAYBE WE'LL USE THAT AS A
GOOD SEGUE TO THEN BRING UP NOW
THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION AND
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THANK
YOU. FOR YOUR TESTIMONY FOR
BEING HERE THIS MORNING LET'S
GO AND BRING OUT HERE. OUR
SECOND PANEL WHICH IS NANCY
STROLL WITH THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION AND TANYA MCMILLAN.
THIS IS SPEAKERS BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION ON EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION THANK YOU GUYS FOR
BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US VERY
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION THANK YOU.
SO OKAY PLEASE BEGIN. FIRST I
WANT TO THANK ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GóMEZ AS FAR SO ELOQUENTLY
EXPLAINING WHAT WE DID ON THE
COMMISSION SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT SO I'M TANIA MCMILLAN AND
I'M ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ON
THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION I'M
ALSO A FAMILY CHILDCARE
PROVIDER FROM THE CITY OF
BELLFLOWER TO SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA I'VE BEEN PROVIDING
QUALITY CARE FOR TWENTY FIVE
YEARS AND I'M A MEMBER OF SEIU
LOCAL NINETY NINE. SO I WANTED
TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE AS A
PROVIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND MY HEART
GOES OUT TO THE TWO PARENTS WHO
WERE JUST HERE BECAUSE I KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL
WITH. ONE MIGHT GET ME MOTIONAL
SORRY. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN
PEOPLE MENTION SPECIAL NEEDS
YOUR MIND AUTOMATICALLY DOES GO
TO AUTISM BUT I CARED FOR A
LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD A CLEFT
PALATE. THAT'S THE IT YOU
REALLY DON'T THINK ABOUT THESE
OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS THAT
FAMILIES NEED HER GRANDMOTHER
FOUND HERSELF AS THE GUARDIAN
OF HER. OWN WHEN SHE CAME TO MY
CHILD HERE OF COURSE HER FACE
IS DIFFERENT AND SO ALL THE
OTHER CHILDREN ARE MAKING
COMMENTS ABOUT IT AND SO IT IT.
PUT ME IN A VERY I'M GONNA SAY
REWARDING POSITION. BECAUSE I
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH
THE OTHER CHILDREN IN MY CHILD
CARE ENVIRONMENT. THAT APRIL
WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE.
I HELPED HER MOTHER NAVIGATE
HER WAY THROUGH THE RED TAPE
THROUGH THE REGIONAL CENTER.
GET AND HURT HER CHILD CARE TO
THE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL
AGENCY SHE HAD HER SPEECH
THERAPIST COME TO MY CHILD CARE
TO COME WORK WITH APRIL AND THE
OTHER KIDS GOT TO SEE THAT. SO
IT WAS IT WAS AN AMAZING TIME
BED. IT'S MORE THAN JUST AUTISM
I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
THE FIRST PERSON TO RECOGNIZE
THAT ONE OF MY LITTLE ONES. I
BELIEVE WAS ON THE SPECTRUM AND
HE WAS. THE AUTISM SPECTRUM YOU
CAN EITHER BE MILDLY AUTISTIC
OR SEVERELY ARTISTIC. AND ONE
OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT
WHAT WE'RE DOING IT AT SEIU
LOCAL NINETY NINE IS WE HAVE A
PARTNERSHIP WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
IN THAT WORK. AND WE DO THESE
WORKSHOPS AND WE INVITE ALL OF
OUR PROVIDERS TO COME AND WE'RE
TAUGHT ON SITE SIGNS TO LOOK
FOR HAVEN'T A DIFFICULT
CONVERSATION WITH PARENTS
TELLING THEM THAT THERE'S
SOMETHING. DIFFERENT ABOUT
THEIR CHILD GIVING THEM
RESOURCES AND FOLKS A CONTACT
AND VOLUNTEERING TO HELP THEM
NAVIGATE THEIR WAY THROUGH A
SYSTEM THAT CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE
REFORMED. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK WITH ANOTHER LITTLE
GIRL WHO WE THOUGHT WAS JUST
SEVERELY SHY IT TURNED OUT SHE
HAD SELECTED MUTISM. WHICH
MEANS. SHE WOULD NOT TALK TO
ANYONE. AND NOT IT WAS ALMOST
LIKE BEING AFRAID TO SPEAK SO
I'M I'M SHARING DIFFERENT.
SPECIAL NEEDS THAT ME AS A
PROVIDER I WASN'T EQUIPPED FOR
THIS WHEN I GOT MY LICENSE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN BUT
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I HAD
TO LEARN AND WORK WITH. IN MY
CHILD CARE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S
SOME IT'S REALLY SAD BECAUSE
THAT THE SYSTEM IT REALLY IS
CONFUSING AND FRUSTRATING. AND
DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS WHO ARE
ARE ALREADY TRYING TO DEAL WITH.
FIRST LEARNING THAT THEIR CHILD.
HAS A SPECIAL NEED OR A
DISABILITY BUT I THANK GOD THAT
I ENDED UP BEING LIKE A PERSON
WHO CAN BE THERE AS A SUPPORT.
BUT NOT EVERY CHILD CARE
PROVIDER OR CHILD CARE CENTER.
HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT AND
THEN IT'S REALLY SAD THE ONCE
THEY LEAVE MY CHILD HERE AND
NOW THEY'RE ENTERING INTO K.
THROUGH TWELVE THEY HAVE TO
JUMP THROUGH THESE HOPES ALL
OVER AGAIN. THERE THAT'S A
PROBLEM AND SO I'M REALLY
THANKFUL THAT MY FELLOW
COMMISSIONERS AND LEGISLATORS
WHO WERE ON THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION THAT WE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT
EVERYTHING WE LEFT NO STONE.
UNTURNED COVERED IN OUR
CONVERSATION AND WE DID IT
OUTLINES SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
TO ADDRESS THAT NOT ENOUGH
THOUGH AND SO LIKE I SAID I
APPLAUD THE PEER TO CAMBER
BECAUSE I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
THEY WERE DEALING WITH. AND I'M
GONNA HAND THE BATON OVER TO
NANCY BECAUSE I'LL JUST PLAY
HOCKEY. THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR
THAT TESTIMONY WAS GOOD INTO
MOVED TO MISS. THANK YOU I'M
ONE OF RECOGNIZE THE TWO OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WHO
ARE WITH THAT'S THE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER MCCARTY AND- GOT HIS
RAMOS AND I NOTICED THAT YOU
BOTH SMILED WHEN TINY SAID WE
LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED. I'M AND
AGAIN I WANTED JUST REPEAT I
THINK WHAT YOU SAID SO
ELOQUENTLY ASSEMBLY WOMAN.
GOMEZ REYES AND THAT IS. THAT
FOR THE TWO PARENTS WHO SPOKE
THEY ARE. ENOUGH AND NOT FOR
THE CHILDREN OF CALIFORNIA AS
WELL AS THEIR OWN CHILDREN. AND
A REAL BASIS OF ALL OF THE WORK
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION WERE
STRONG INPUT FROM PARENTS AND
IS THE SAME WAY YOUR HEARING IS
BASED A LOT ON BOTH THE
RESEARCH THAT CHILDREN NOW
PRESENTED IN THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL PRESENT.
AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL
DISCUSS IN THE THIRD PANEL
REALLY THE COURT A LOT OF FOR
ALL OF US WHO REMEMBER WHEN WE
LEAVE ARE THE TWO PARENTS. AND
TIME HIS EXPERIENCES AS A
PROVIDER AND THAT WAS PART OF
OUR BASIS AS WELL. WE ALSO I
THINK IT'S SO IN. WHAT YOU SAID
ABOUT BREAKING DOWN SILOS WHEN
WE STARTED THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION WE COULD HAVE
STOPPED JESS TO CHILD CARE I
GUESS YOU COULD STILL DO THAT.
BUT WE REALIZE YOU CAN'T
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT IS THE WELL BEING
OF CHILDREN AND FUTURE
CALIFORNIA. AND MAKING SURE
THAT EVERY SINGLE CHILD CAN
FEEL FILLED THEIR POTENTIAL SO
THE DAY CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO
THEIR FULL POTENTIAL TO OUR
STATE SO IT'S REALLY CRITICAL.
THAT WE NOT LOOK AT SILOS AND
WE TALKED A LOT IN OUR REPORT
WHICH AS YOU CAN SEE IS VERY
LONG. IT WAS HARD TO EXCERPTED.
ABOUT SOME CULTURE CHANGES THAT
NEEDED TO HAPPEN. SO WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE KNOW
SO MUCH MORE THAN WE USED TO
ABOUT INTERVENTION. WE KNOW SO
MUCH MORE THAN WE USED TO ABOUT
IDENTIFICATION. AND WHAT WE
HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE
SUCCESSFUL SERVICE MODELS WE
HAVE. TAKE THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE
THAT TOUCH CHILDREN AND REALLY
BREAK DOWN THE SILOS AND CHANGE
THE CULTURES FROM A CULTURE OF
COMPLIANCE AND RULES. TO A
WELCOMING CULTURE SELECT SAID
THE WARM LINE IS OUR MODEL NOT
SEVENTEENTH PAGE FORMS TO SEE
IF YOU'RE ONE DOLLAR OVER. ONE
QUARTER OF THIS YEAR TO GET
SERVICES AND SO WE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT THAT AND NOT. THAT WE
DON'T HAVE A VERY STRONG
EMPHASIS ON FOCUSING ON THOSE
MOST IN NEED THOSE WHO ARE LOW
INCOME LOOKING AT
DISCRIMINATION. BUT DOING THAT
ALL WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF
TRUSTING AND LISTENING PARENTS
AND BREAKING DOWN SILOS. SO
JUST TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT I WOULD COMMEND PEOPLE
READ OUR WHOLE REPORT REALLY
NICE. OVERRIDE OR GOING INTO IT.
BUT ALSO I THINK IT'S SAD. YOU
CAN LOOK AT HOW THINGS FIT
TOGETHER AS WELL AS THE
INDIVIDUAL WHAT'S SO OUR FIRST
SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS HAD TO
DO THAT THE QUALITY IS NOT
EQUITY. SO YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN TERMS
OF PEOPLE BINDING EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES YOU KNOW
WE CAN SAY WELL ANYONE CAN FIND
A REGIONAL CENTER BUT THERE'S A
LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO
INTO IT IN TERMS OF FAMILY'S
EXPERIENCES FAMILIES ACCESS TO
RESOURCES. A MEDICAL HOME AND
SO YOU HAVE TO REALLY SPOKE
FOCUS ON SPECIAL KINDS OF.
BARRIERS THAT FAMILIES HAVE AS
WELL AS SPECIAL STRENGTHS THAT
FAMILIES HAVE ON. AND RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION AND POVERTY AND
RURAL AREA YOU KNOW THERE'S
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE
FOCUSED ON ALL OF THOSE. SO
WHEN WE LOOK AT LOOK AT EARLY
INTERVENTION CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES IT'S IMPORTANT WE
LOOK AT THE BIG UNIVERSAL GOALS
IF IN FACT. EVERYONE WENT TO
TINY IS CHILD CARE OR IS CENTER%
WITH TRAINING AND CONNECTION TO
SERVICES AND WE HAD UNIVERSAL
ACCESS LIKE WE TALK ABOUT
THAT'S OUR GOAL OF UNIVERSAL
ACCESS OF EVERYONE TO CHILD
CARE. THERE WOULD BE NO AND A
WHOLE OTHER SET OF EYES AND
EXPERTISE THAT WOULD LOOK AT
EARLY INTERVENTION. IF YOU ALSO
LOOK AT ONE OF OUR OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH IS IN A
P. EMERGENCY SERVICES BY WHICH
IS TO BRING IT WAS KIDS KIDS IN
THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. THOSE
APPLY FOR REFUGEE STATUS AND
THOSE FACING DISLOCATION
BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
BRING THOSE RIGHT INTO THE
CHILD CARE SYSTEM WITH NO
WAITING LISTS. THAT ALSO WOULD
BE ANOTHER SET OF EYES LOOKING
AT EARLIER BATCHES. SO MANY OF
OUR UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE
RECOMMENDATIONS. WOULD REALLY
BENEFIT CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES.WELL IT VERY
STRONGLY STATE RIGHT UP FRONT
IS ONE OF OUR UNIVERSAL GOALS
IS TO INSURE THAT EARLY
IDENTIFICATION OF ALL CHILDREN
BY IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE
SYSTEMS AND INTEGRATING IT INTO
ECT AS WELL IF YOU CAN'T HAVE
IDENTIFICATION WITHOUT SERVICES
ACCESS IS REALLY LOOKING AT
THOSE SO THAT UNIVERSAL
SERVICES IS ACCOMPANIED BY
ACCESS TO SERVICE AND GET OUR
NEXT PANEL WILL REALLY TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSFUL A
SERVICE MODELS AND WHAT THOSE
COULD COULD MEAN TO KIDS WE
WANT TO REALLY EXPAND THE CHILD
BUYING PROGRAM SO THAT WE ARE
OF PERMITTED THE LOOKING FOR
KIDS THAT NEED SERVICES. AND
NOT HAVING PARENTS GO THROUGH
ALL OF THESE BARRIERS. AND
EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF EARLY
START AN ELIGIBILITY
DETERMINATION SO THAT IT'S NOT%
33% AND 25% AND I MYSELF WHEN I
WAS A STAFFER WORKED ON SOME OF
THOSE DEFINITIONS. AND YOU DO
NEED DEFINITIONS BUT YOU ALSO
NEED TO HAVE LIKE A KIND OF
DEFINITION SO THAT YOU COULD
REALLY INCLUDE KIDS. THAT WILL
MOST BENEFIT FROM EARLY
INTERVENTION. WE WANT TO
ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO LOOK
AT ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDING
SOURCES YOU KNOW THERE'S SO
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE
STATE LEVEL THERE'S FEDERAL
THEIR STATE. IN REALLY REMOVE
THE BARRIERS LEADING TO THE
DELAY TRANSITION BECAUSE IT'S
NOT THAT THREE IS A BARRIER
BECAUSE OF SOMETHING INHERENT
IN THE CHILDREN IT'S INHERENT
IN OUR- SYSTEM. IN THE
TRANSITION THAT HAS TO GET MADE
AND ALSO TO BRIDE AND SOME OF
THE CURRENT LEGAL DEFINITIONS
SO THAT WE CAN REALLY CAPTURE
ALL THE CHILDREN THEY CAN. CAN
DO THIS ELIMINATE THE RACIAL
DISPARITIES THAT CHILDREN NOW
TALKING ABOUT AND ADD ALSO
SUBMITTED THIS PORT PERSONALITY
AND DISCIPLINE PRACTICES BUT
DON'T RECOGNIZE. A SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES BASED ON SPECIAL
NEEDS BUT RATHER DO LOOK AT IT
FOR THAT I DISCIPLINE. SORT OF
YOU THIS WAS VERY FAST IN TERMS
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT I DO
THINK WITHIN THE REPORT AS WELL
AS BECAUSE OF YOUR MEMBERS THAT
WERE SO INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL OF
THESE. THEY'RE BOTH VERY
SPECIFIC IDEAS FOR THINGS WE
COULD DO LIKE EXPAND CHILD BY
AS WELL AS REALLY. LOOKING AT
BROADER IT KIND OF THE BROADER
SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE
THAT ALSO VERY HAPPY TO SAY
THAT IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS
PASSED INSIDE OUR- OUR ADVISORY
COMMITTEE WHICH IS. WHICH HAS
STRONG COMPARING AND PROVIDERS
SUB COMMITTEES TWITCH CAN GUIDE
AND ADVISE THE LEGISLATURE THE
GOVERNOR AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.
INTEGRATED WAY I AND ALL OF THE.
SEASON HERE THE VOICES SO THAT
WE DO BREAK DOWN THE SILOS AND
LOOK AT UNIVERSAL AS WELL AS
THE PARTICULARITIES. IS IN THE
BUDGET IS PASSED. AND WILL BE A
REALITY AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE
KIND OF SYSTEM CHANGE THAT YOU
ALL HAVE TAKEN SAID TO
LEADERSHIP ON INITIATING. AB
ONE THING PLEASE PLEASE JUST.
IN THE IN THE WORK FORCE THE
PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH
THESE CHILDREN THEY'RE TRYING
TO WORK WITH THESE CHILDREN I
THINK WE RECOMMENDED ALSO MAYBE
NOT IN THESE WORDS THESE TERMS
BUT REALLY WORKING ON A WAY ON
RETAINING THOSE FOLKS IN
BRINGING MORE FOLKS IN WHO WANT
TO DO THIS WORK THIS WORK IS
SO. PRECIOUS AND SO VALUABLE
AND SO CRITICAL BUT THAT WORK
FORCE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE
COMPENSATED AND APPRECIATE IT
FOR WHAT THEY BRING TO THE
TABLE TO. CUT YEAH BECAUSE WE
HEARD EVEN EARLIER HOW
IMPORTANT HAVING THAT GUIDANCE
AND IS TO ACTUALLY NAVIGATING
EVERYTHING THERE'S A LOT OF
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE B. R. C.
REPORTED I KNOW SOME OF OUR
MEMBERS ARE REALLY FAMILIAR
WITH THAT. BUT HOW DO WE
PRIORITIZE LIKE YOU KNOW THE
FOR REALLY GETTING OUT EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES IS IT
LOOKING AT THE RACIAL
DISPARITIES THAT YOU JUST
MENTIONED IS AT LOOKING AT IS
IT ALL JUST FUNDING IS IT.
TRYING TO FIND THE ADVOCATES OF
MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE
COMPENSATED AND DIRECTING
PEOPLE THE RIGHT WAY HOW DO WE
BEGIN TO TACKLE THAT ISSUE IT
JUST. MAYBE YOUR PERSONAL
RECOMMENDATION IS HOW DO WE-
WHERE SHE WOULD START. ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS DIRECTED TO HEAR.
I'M WELL I SPEAK FOR MYSELF I
WAS LAZY CONSULTED I'VE BEEN A
STAFFER I WAS AN ADVOCATE I'VE-
BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME IF YOU
CAN TELL. AND I THINK THAT
WE'RE STARTING IN THE RIGHT
PLACE WHEN I SAID THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE AND SENATOR ZELL
ADVISORY COMMITTEES REPORTS
THAT IT THAT. BUT I THINK THAT
ALL THE AERATION AND BREAKING
DOWN THE SILOS AT THE YEAH
RACING DOWN THE SILOS IT'S
LOOKING AT STARTING WITH THE
NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
ADD NOT STARTING WITH THE NEEDS
OF BUDGET OR FEDERAL
REGULATIONS I'M AND I THINK
CALIFORNIA HAS REALLY BEEN A
LEADER IN THAT I MEAN A LOT OF
THE WORK THAT WE DO AND WHAT
YOU'LL SEE DESCRIBED IN THE
NEXT PANEL WE REALLY HAVE BILL
PROGRAMS BASED IN THAT KIND OF
WAY AND SO I WOULD SAY. THAT
LOOKING OVERALL SYSTEMICALLY SO
THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
LEGISLATURE THAT WE HAVE BOTH
THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE I
WORKED IN BOTH. AS WELL AS THE
GOVERNOR'S COMMITMENT TO THESE
KIND OF ISSUES THAT I WILL
LEAVE ASIDE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT UNTIL TWENTY TWENTY.
MY PERSONAL OPINION. THAT WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY.
MAKE CHANGE AND BREAK DOWN
SILOS AND LOOK OVER OUR BIG
GOALS. AS WELL AS WORKING ON
VERY SPECIFIC SMALLER GOALS
LIKE IF WE CHANGE CHILD FINE
AND DID SOME OF THE CHANGES IN
THE TRANSITION. BETWEEN THE
REGIONAL CENTERS AND THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT THAT WOULD MAKE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE IF WE LOOK AT RACIAL
YOU KNOW CONTINUE SOME OF THE
RESEARCH THIS GOD ON ABOUT WHY
ARE YOU KNOW WHAT ARE THESE
DISPARITIES BASED IN HOW COULD
WE THROUGH THE CHILD BY PROGRAM
IN OTHER WAYS. THROUGH MEDI CAL
CHANGES MAKE SURE THAT THERE
WAS BETTER ACCESS ACROSS ALL
THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WOULD
MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND I ALSO
THINK. THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT
WE HAVE FOR THE EMERGENCY CHILD
CARE FOR THE KIDS WHO ARE
CONNECTED VESTED PILOTS WHO ARE
HOMELESS REFUGEE STATUS. IF WE
REALLY COULD. NET CHILDREN WITH
SYSTEMS EARLIER THAT ARE THE
MOST IN NEED THAT WOULD MAKE A
BIG DIFFERENCE SO THOSE WOULD
BE SOME INITIAL BUT YOU KNOW
THERE ARE MANY MORE THAT YOU
ALL. HERE AT EVERY SMALL PIECE
THAT WE DO MAKES A BIG
DIFFERENCE IN SOME CHILDREN'S
LIVES AS WELL AS OUR OVERALL
VISION AND REALLY COMMITTING TO
CHANGE THAT THAT'S A AND DOING
WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW
TODAY. MAKING OURSELVES
AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO ASK
QUESTIONS AND HAVING PARENTS
COME IN AND TALK DIRECTLY. TO
YOU SO YOU CAN REALLY GET
UNDERSTAND AND ABOUT THE NEED
THIS THERE. THAT IS ANOTHER
THING TO DO AND ALSO THERE IS
THIS THERE'S A. WE NEED TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO REMOVE THE
STIGMA. THAT PARENTS MAY FEEL
SHARING THIS. IT'S VERY HARD TO
HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND
THEN TO COME AND YOU'RE ON. A
TV SCREEN AND YOUR SHARE THIS
PERSONAL. HEARTFELT TO GET OVER
THAT FEAR TO REALITY EXACTLY
REMOVING THAT THAT THAT'S
ANOTHER BEGINNING. BELIEVE
ASSEMBLY MEMBER MCCARTY JEFF
QUESTION. YES I DID BUT BUT
BEFORE THAT JUST WANTED TO
THINK TONYA WITH ONE OF OUR
THAT. STRONG MEMBERS ALWAYS
SAYS PARTICIPATED BUT ALSO MAKE
SURE SHE BROUGHT THE
PERSPECTIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY
OUT THERE TO OUR FIFTEEN
MISLEADING YOU AGAIN. SO I HAD
THE HONOR OF CODE SHARING THAT
TAKE THE PANEL ALONG WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER REYES WAS THAT
AT THAT CAN ASSIST CONSISTENT
PARTNER IN THERE AND THE THERE.
YOU KNOW THE READY THIS THIS
PLAN ISN'T JUST SO SET ON
OURSELVES BUT TO BE A ROAD MAP
FOR YEARS TO COME AND YOU KNOW
WE CAN'T DO IT ALL OVER NIGHT
EVEN IF WE WANTED TO WE
WOULDN'T HAVE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO IT SO IF
WE GIVE US A- SUITCASE OF TEN
MILLION DOLLARS TO DO.
EMPLOYMENT THE PLANNERS.
WORKFORCE ISSUES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES
AND LINKING THE PIECES AND SO
YOU KNOW LIKE. THIS OLD YOU
KNOW EAST ONE LITTLE BY THE
TIME RIGHT AND SO I THINK THAT
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF
IT BUT- I DO WANT TO TAKE HIS
DIG DOWN IN THAT IS
OVERWHELMING EVERYTHING THAT WE
PUT FORWARD BUT THERE ARE SOME
SPECIFICS OF TODAY'S HEARING IS
FOCUSED ON. INTERVENTION
SERVICES WITH CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS AND ALLOW THAT
STARTS WITH PROPER SCREENINGS
YOU CAN KNOWN WHAT TO DO AND
LESS YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND SO I
KNOW THERE ARE FEW PROPOSALS I
WORK IN A ONE THIS YEAR BUT IN
THE REPORT YOU TALK ABOUT MAYBE
YOU CAN THIS WOULD BE A
HIGHLIGHT TO US TODAY IS THAT
THERE ARE RESOURCES FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE HAVE THE
MEDI CAL PROGRAM WE'RE NOT
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS DRAWING DOWN
AS MUCH AS WE COULD. TO DO THAT
WORK AT THE AT AT AT THE AT THE
BEGINNING WAS WONDERING IF YOU
CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE
BIT NANCY AND WHAT
OPPORTUNITIES WE MAY HAVE IN
CALIFORNIA FTA TO LEVERAGE OUR
STATE MONEY TO BRING DOWN MORE
RESOURCES FOR THE WORK WE'RE
TRYING TO DO. I'M. I THINK THAT
WE HAVE IN IF YOU LOOK. IN
DEATH AS THE HAND OUT THE FOUR
PAGE HANDOUT. WE TALK ABOUT WE
HAVE SEVEN FINANCING
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE
AND FROM PAGE EIGHTY TO NINETY
IF YOU'RE THE WHOLE REPORTED
IT'S ON PAGE FOUR. OF THE HAND
OUT AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE
WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT
YOU KNOW ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES
ARE YOU USE IT IT WAS KIND OF
IT WAS REALLY. I THINK I'LL
NEVER FORGET THAT IT TOOK FOUR
MONTHS TO CHANGE THAT. PRIVATE
INSURANCE CODE ON THE MEDIC HOW.
KIND OF APPLICATION SO I MEAN
THE FIRST THING WE CAN DO IS
JUST MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S
VERY GOOD TRAINING WHEN PEOPLE
ARE DOING CERTAIN ADDITIONAL.
WORK AND THAT WE AREN'T YOU
KNOW LOSING SIX MONTHS OF
ELIGIBILITY FOR A CHILD AND
INTEGRATION OF SERVICES BUT WE
ASK THAT. THAT THE SECRETARY OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AGENCY REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE THE GOVERNOR AND
THE S. P. I. AND WE SAID
DECEMBER TWENTY NINETEEN BUT
THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
STILL RITUALISTIC. TO LOOK AT
ALL OF THE FEDERAL
OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING MEDI
CAL WITH THE REALLY DEEP LOOK
AT CURRENT PRACTICES WHAT SOME
OTHER STATES ARE DOING. SO THAT
WE CAN DRIVE DOWN ALL OF THE
ALL OF THE MONEY THAT IT'S
POSSIBLE TO DRIVE DOWN WITH
MEDI CAL. AND EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES FOR. THE EARLY AND
PERIODIC SCREENING DIAGNOSTIC
AND TREATMENT WHICH FUNDS
PERIODICSCREENINGS AND
IDENTIFIED NEEDED TREATMENT.
REALLY SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT
WE LOOK AT RIGHT AWAY AND IF WE
INCENTIVIZE COUNTIES TO REALLY.
DEVELOP BEST PRACTICE AND
COUNTY LEVEL SOLUTIONS AND WORK
IS GETTING YOU'LL HEAR FROM
FIRST FIVE AND SOME OF THE
OTHER CHILD SERVING AGENCIES.
TO ADOPT ALL OF THE BEST
PRACTICES OF THE WE GET EVERY
SINGLE. DOLLAR THAT WE CAN AS
WELL AS LOOKING AT. AT MENTAL
HEALTH PLANS IN THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES SO. WHILE WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
MEETING ALL OF THE FEDERAL
EARLY START AND- THE I. D. A
PART C. EARLY INTERVENTION
GUIDELINES BUT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THAT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY ALSO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE ARE TAKING EVERY
POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION I THINK
IT'S GOING TO TAKE. SOME DEEP
LOOKING AT WHAT SOME OF THE
OTHER AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS
THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AND A NEW
LOOK TO DO THAT. MATHIS AB ONE
MORE THING PLEASE OF. PROVIDERS
IF A CHILD COMES TO OF IF A
PARENT COMES AS IN THEIR CHILD
HAS SPECIAL NEEDS OR
DISABILITIES. WE CANNOT TURN
THAT FAMILY AWAY. SO WE HAVE TO
HONOR THE LANTERN MINUTE. AND
EVEN IF WE'RE NOT TRAINED OR
EQUIPPED WE STILL HAVE TO OPEN
UP OUR FACILITIES SO THAT. YEAH
THE TRAINING FEES. IS VERY
CRUCIAL AND ONE OF OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT PROVIDERS HAVE MUCH MORE
ACCESS TO THE ENHANCED RATES
THAT THEY NEED RIGHT SO THERE'S
IT'S WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A
WHOLE LARGER RATE REFORMS TO
REALLY MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW. VERY FEW OF
THE PROVIDED IT IS VERY KIND OF
LIKE DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR
PROVIDERS TO OBTAIN ENHANCE
RATES. ALL RIGHT WELL WITH THAT
I KNOW OUR- RUNNING SHORT ON
TIME SO LET ME. THINK THIS FAT
THANK YOU FOR. YOUR TESTIMONY
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES
ARE SPENDING LEGISLATION BUT
ALSO BUDGET ASKS IN THE FUTURE
SO THANK YOU LET'S GO TO MOVE
TO OUR THIRD PANEL LOCAL
PURCHASER EARLY INTERVENTION
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEM
IMPROVEMENT. WE HAVE MARKET
GRANT GOLD POLICY DIRECTOR FOR
FIRST FIVE ASSOCIATION OF
CALIFORNIAN FRANCESE AN INFILL
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS
MORNING. AND LISTENING TO ALL
THE TESTIMONY BEFORE BUT
EVERYONE'S THINK EVERY PANELS
REFERRING TO THE NEXT PANEL.
WHICH I THINK BODES WELL FOR
INTEGRATION AND BREAKING DOWN
SILOS WORKING TOGETHER AT A
COMMON SOLUTION SO PLEASE BEGIN
WITH TESTIMONY ABSOLUTELY HAPPY
TO JUMP INTO THEIR AND BUILT ON
THE THEMES OF BREAKING DOWN
SILOS AND HELPING CREATE MORE
FAMILY CENTRIC SYSTEMS OF CARE.
MY NAME IS MARGARET GOULD I IN
THE POLICY DIRECTOR OF THE
FIRST FIVE ASSOCIATION
CALIFORNIA VERY PROUD TO HEAR
WITH OUR COLLEAGUE FRANCESE AND
FROM THE INFANT DEVELOPMENT
CENTER TO REALLY TALK ABOUT
WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.%
AND TO START SHARING SOME
PROMISING PRACTICES AND THEN TO
HAVE AN INITIAL CONVERSATION
AROUND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
SOME. BEFORE JUMPING IN JUST
ONE RIGHT A LITTLE BIT OF
CONTEXT ABOUT FIRST FIVE. IT
WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT A
CHILDREN'S TO FIVE FOR THE PAST
TWENTY YEARS NOW SINCE OUR
INCEPTION. AND WE KNOW THAT
THIS IS NOT. POSSIBLE WITHOUT
LOOKING AT THE EARLY
IDENTIFICATION INTERVENTION
SYSTEM HOLISTICALLY. WE DO
BELIEVE THAT NO ONE PERSON IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR A CHILD'S
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND IN FACT
WE ALL PLAY A KEY ROLE AND
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
HEARD CONSTANTLY FROM ALL THE
DIFFERENT PANELS AND JUST
LOOKING AT ALL THE VARIOUS
ASPECTS OF HOW WE- HOW WE ALL
ARE. INTRICATELY INVOLVED WITH
IN A CHILD'S HEALTHY
DEVELOPMENT. SO PARENTS NEED TO
BE ABLE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS
THAT THEY- ABOUT THEIR CHILD
DEVELOPMENT AND ASK FOR HELP
WHEN THAT IS NEEDED. CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS NEED TO KNOW THE
EARLY SIGNS OF DEVELOPMENTAL
DELAYS AND NOT TO WAIT TO
INTERVENE WHEN NECESSARY. AND
EVERY PEDIATRICIAN SHOULD
NOTICE GREEN KIDS FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF LAYS AS WELL IN
THEIR ENTIRETY. ALL OF THIS IS
REALLY BAD AND WHAT IS
HOLISTICALLY BECOME THE SYSTEM
OF CARE THAT IS A NO WRONG DOOR
SYSTEM THAT WE LIKE TO CALL OUR
HELP ME GROW SYSTEM AND WE DO
CALL THE SYSTEM IN ON A PROGRAM
BECAUSE IT IS MULTI FACETED.
WITHIN ITS NATURE HELP ME GROW
AS A NATIONAL MODEL ABOUT HALF
OF THE STATES IN THE US DO
CONSIDER THEMSELVES HELP ME
GROW AFFILIATES AT FIRST FIVE
COUNTY COMMISSIONS HAVE BEEN
WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR CRITICAL
PARTNERS ACROSS ALL THOSE
FIELDS AGAIN IN ORDER TO BUILD
OUT THESE HELP ME GROW SYSTEMS
OF CARE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS
ON A COUNTY BY COUNTY BASIS FOR
ABOUT THE LAST NINE YEARS FIRST
ORIGINATING. AT FIRST FIVE
ORANGE COUNTY. AT THE SERVICE
LEVEL HELP ME GROW AS A
CENTRALIZED ACCESS POINT THAT
ESSENTIALLY WORKS LIKE A
TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER IT HELPS
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE
TO GO WITHIN THE SYSTEM IN
ORDER TO HELP BETTER CONNECT.
THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT FAMILIES ULTIMATELY
DO RECEIVE SERVICES. HOWEVER IT
UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE TO HELP
ME GROW AS MUCH MORE IS IT IS
HELP BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF
THE ACTUAL SYSTEM. SO I KNOW
THAT WE KEEP BRINGING UP MORE
LINE WHICH IS A WONDERFUL
PROGRAM. MORE LINE IS IN PART
FUNDED BY FIRST FIVE SACRAMENTO
THIS IS A HELP ME GROW PART OF
THE SYSTEM OF CARE IT'S UNDER
THE UMBRELLA OF HELP ME GROW.
IT'S ACTUALLY HOW WE WERE
FORTUNATELY CONNECTED TO LIVE
TO SEE IT TODAY IN ORDER TO
COME UP AND HELP SHARE HER
STORY. SO IT'S UNDERNEATH THAT
GUY'S OF HELP ME GROW
SACRAMENTO AND WORKING WITH A
STRIVE IN ROLLA EXACTLY
EXACTLY. BUT IT IS ALL WORKING
IN UNISON IN UNISON. SO ON THE
GROUND LEVEL WHAT THIS LOOKS
LIKE VISITS IT IS THIS LARGE
COMPLICATED SYSTEM IT'S I
WANTED TO GIVE A COUPLE
EXAMPLES OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY
LOOKS LIKE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND
PROVIDERS. SO FOR A PARENT THE
MOTHER OF A TWO YEAR OLD WHO'S
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT OUR SON IS
NOT SPEAKING. SHE WOULD CALL A
HELP ME GROW CENTRALIZED ACCESS
POINT OR GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM
AND HELP ME GROW CARE
COORDINATOR WOULD HELP WALK
THROUGH THE MOTHER THROUGH A
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING
QUESTIONNAIRE. OFTEN IN HER OWN
NATIVE LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO
ASSESS YOUR CHILD'S
DEVELOPMENT. FROM THERE SHE
WOULD CONFIRM AT THE SIGHT OF
HER. IN THIS CASE SCENARIO SIGN
IT WOULD SCORE OF A CONCERN AND
WOULD HELP NAVIGATE THAT FAMILY
TO THE APPROPRIATE ACCESS TO
SERVICES WILL PROBABLY ALSO
RECOMMENDING DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES THAT THEY COULD BE
DOING AT HOME TO IMPROVE A
CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT. THAT HELP
ME GROW CARE COORDINATOR WITH
AND FOLLOW UP WITH THE- OTHER
ONE WEEK AFTER THEY FIRST
INITIALLY TOUCH BASE TO MAKE
SURE OF WHERE THEY IT IS THAT'S
WHERE THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM TO
MAKE SURE THEY HAVEN'T FALLEN
THROUGH THE CRACKS AT THAT
POINT IN TIME. FOR HEALTH CARE
PROVIDERS WHO ARE CRITICAL TO
THE SYSTEM OF CARE. WE HAVE
ALSO WE HAVE. OFTEN HEARD FOR
YEARS THAT PEDIATRICIANS WILL
NOT SCREW THEIR RELUCTANCE TO
SCREEN WITHOUT HAVING PROPER
INTERVENTIONS IN PLACE. HELP ME
GROW HELPS FILL THIS ROLE BY
ENSURING THAT THERE ARE PROPER
LINKAGES THAT ARE THERE. SO
TESTIMONIALS FROM SO MANY OF
THE PEDIATRICIANS AND CLINICS
THAT WE WORK WITH. THEY SURE
THAT THEY ARE MORE THEY'RE
MORE. ACCEPTING OF DOING FULL
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS
KNOWING THAT THEY CAN HAND OFF
THIS. THIS FAMILY TO HELP ME
GROW IN ORDER TO HELP REFER
THEM TO SYSTEMS OF CARE. BUT IN
ADDITION TO JUST THE NAVIGATION
HELP ME GROW AS HELPING
CLINICS. AND HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS. AROUND BEST
PRACTICES AROUND USING THE FULL
TOOL ITSELF. I WOULD LIKE TO
POINT OUT IS THE ONLY MEMBER
MCCARTY'S BILL AB ONE ZERO ZERO
FOUR AND IS HUGE CHAMPIONSHIP
OF THAT EFFORT. AGAIN MAKING
SURE THAT THE FULL DEVELOPMENT
OF SCREENING TOOLS USED IN ITS
ENTIRETY AND THAT WE'RE
COLLECTING THE NECESSARY DATA
ON THE BACK AND TO ENSURE THAT
THIS HAPPENED THAT THIS IS.
ONLY HAPPENING AS RECOMMENDED.
OF A FEW OTHER COMMISSIONS OR
EVEN LICENSING THAT ALL MY
NEEDS DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING
TOOLS THEMSELVES TO HELP INSURE
THAT THESE. TO REMOVE THAT
BARRIER TO MAKE SURE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF TOOLS ARE. OUR
ACCESSIBLE TO THE TO THE
PROFESSIONALS THAT DO IN FACT
NEED THEM. FOR CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND THAT
CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WILL BE
MORE LIKELY TO DO THE PROPER
SCREENINGS AND REFER TO THE
INTERVENTION. IF THEY HAVE A
GREAT BUT IF THEY HAVE A VERY
ACCESSIBLE PLACE TO REFER TO
HELP ME GROW CAN AGAIN SERVE
THAT FUNCTION. IN ADDITION
FIRST FIVE ALONG WITH A NUMBER
OF OTHER PARTNERS ARE PROVIDING
THIS TRAINING IS ON HOW EXACTLY
TO. LEARN THE SCIENCE ACT
EARLY. AND ALSO TO PROVIDE ON
THE TRAINING OF HOW TO HELP
THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
WITH FAMILIES THAT WE DID HEAR
ABOUT CONTINUALLY FROM OUR
PARENT TESTIMONIES. SO
CURRENTLY THERE ARE TWENTY SIX
FIRST FIVE COMMISSIONS WERE
EXPANDING IN LAUNCHING IN THE
EARLY AYE IDENTIFICATION
INTERVENTION SYSTEMS ALONG
THESE LINES OF HELP ME GROW. WE
ARE WORKING ALONGSIDE CRITICAL
PARTNERS SUCH AS REGIONAL
CENTERS MANAGED CARE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH. WARM LINE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT CBO IS WHO WERE ALSO
ALL PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE
WITHIN THIS. ONE TELL ME GROW
IS FULLY LUNCHEON IMPLEMENTED
WITHIN THESE COUNTIES HELP ME
GROW WILL BE AVAILABLE 285% OF
ALL CHILDREN IN CALIFORNIA. BUT
I WILL EMPHASIZE BECAUSE WE'VE
BEEN DOING THIS FROM A COUNTY
BY COUNTY BASIS IT REALLY IS
EVERY SO COUNTIES AT A
DIFFERENT POINT IN TERMS OF ITS
IMPORTATION AND HOW FAR WHY
THIS HAS BEEN SPREAD. I DID
WANT TO SHARE A RECENT REPORT
BECAUSE WE DID JUST RECENTLY
RECEIVED DATA FROM ALAMEDA
COUNTIES HELP ME GROW WHICH IS
VERY. KIND OF FURTHER ALONG IN
ITS IMPLEMENTATION STAGES AND
TO SHARE A COUPLE KEY POINTS
THAT CAME UP FROM THEIR TWO
THOUSAND SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN
DATA. ONE THING THAT THEY FOUND
IS THAT THERE CALL VOLUME HAS
INCREASED 7100% SINCE TWO
THOUSAND TEN AS MORE AND MORE
FAMILIES DO KNOW ABOUT THE HELP
ME GROW NAVIGATION SERVICES
THEMSELVES. SO RIGHT NOW AS OF
LAST YEAR THEY RECEIVED. JUST
OVER TWO THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED
CALLS. THESE ARE PRIMARILY
FAMILIES OF COLOR MINORITY
CHILDREN WHO ARE SEEKING
SERVICES AND THOSE WHO WE
REALLY WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO
SERVICES WITH AN EARLY
INTERVENTION SYSTEMS. LAST YEAR
AGAIN HELP ME GROW SERVED
FAMILIES SERVICE FAMILIES IN
THIRTY EIGHT DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES SO THERE'S A LOT OF
CAPACITY IN WHICH WE CAN
ACTUALLY GET WITH CONNECTING
FAMILIES TO APPROPRIATE CARE
TIM. I'M ALMOST FAMILIES WERE
CALLING REGARDING DEVELOPMENTAL
QUESTIONS HELP ME GROW IS
HELPING ADDRESS A NUMBER OF
NEEDS THAT THEY MIGHT BE
EXPERIENCING WITHIN THE HOME.
ABOUT 13% OF THE REFERRALS THAT
CAME FROM HELP ME GROW ALSO
RECEIVED A HOME VISIT THAT WAS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. SO
HELPING FAMILIES WITH THE
PARENT EDUCATION. AND A NUMBER
OF ON THE REFERRAL SERVICES AS
WELL. AND OTHER COMMON
REFERRALS ALSO INCLUDED CHILD
CARE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. BASIC
SUPPORTS AND BASIC NEEDS
ANOTHER PARENT SUPPORTS SO IN
THIS SENSE HELP ME GROW IS
REALLY HELPING CONNECT FAMILIES
TO WHAT THEY NEED WELL IT MIGHT
START AS DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING IN IT IS A MUCH
BROADER SYSTEM. ALL IN ALL HELP
ME GROW IS SIMPLE FIND THE
EARLY IDENTIFICATION
INTERVENTION FIELD. AND IS
HELPING FILL CRITICAL GAPS THAT
WE JUST SEE YOU ALL TOO OFTEN
ACROSS THE ACROSS THE SPECTRUM.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SHARE SOME IS PROMISING
PRACTICES HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MIGHT
HAVE NOW THANK YOU I APPRECIATE
THAT MOVES. DECISIONAL
TESTIMONY PLEASE GOOD MORNING
I'M FRENCH ACE AND I HAVE THE
PLEASURE OF REPRESENTING THE
PROVIDERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING
THE PROXIMALLY FORTY THREE
THOUSAND. CHILDREN ZERO TO
THREE AND THEIR FAMILIES IN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE EARLY
START PROGRAM. THE HAND OUT
THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED EXPLAINS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PART SEE
EARLY START SYSTEM IN
CALIFORNIA AND IT IS DIVERSE IT
IS COMPLEX. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
FOCUSING ON THIS UNIQUE AND
BENEFICIAL SYSTEM. JOINTLY
OPERATED IN CALIFORNIA BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION. IT'S NOT A PERFECT
SYSTEM BUT HAS MULTIPLE
BENEFITS FOR OUR STATE
COMMUNITIES AND CITIZENS. AND
I'VE ALSO PREPARED A FACT SHEET
THAT INDICATES THE RESEARCH
ECONOMIC AN INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS
THAT WILL EXPLAIN SOME OF MARGE
IN MORE DETAIL OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF EARLY START. YOU
ASKED US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE
ISSUES AND CONCERNS AND I'M NOT
ALONE IN BRINGING UP THE LACK
OF FUNDING. IT'S A MAJOR
CONCERN IN FOCUS FOR THOSE
BUSINESSES PROVIDING EARLY
START SERVICES AND THESE ARE
BUSINESSES. A RECENT TEMPORARY
ADJUSTMENT OF A POINT 2% FOR
VENTURE PROGRAMS IN THE TRAILER
BILL EIGHTY ONE LEFT OUT THE
INFANT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
COATS AND THERAPY CODES. EIGHT
OF EIGHT OH FIVE SAID ONE
SIXTEENS AND INCLUSION OF THESE
CLOTHES CODES IN A TRAILER BILL
CLEANUP LANGUAGE WOULD BE A
PLACE TO START IN ADDRESSING
THIS PIECE. YOU HAVE HEARD
ABOUT THE GREAT RECESSION
BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS IN TWO
THOUSAND EIGHT DID YOU KNOW
THAT EARLY START AN INFANT
DEVELOPMENT TOOK ON MOST OF
THESE ADJUSTMENTS. FAMILY FOR
THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE USE A
PRIVATE INSURANCE ELIMINATION
OF HIGH RISK FROM ELIGIBILITY
DEFINITION. THERE'S ALSO BEEN
OTHER FACTORS THAT IMPACT THIS
ECONOMIC NEED. 8% CONSUMER
PRICE INDEX GROWTH A 12% IN
CALIFORNIA'S WAGE INDEX. ARE
THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION.
RECOMMENDS INVESTING IN
SUPPORTING RESOURCES FOR EARLY
START. THAT IS CRITICAL THERE
ALSO WAS DEVELOPMENT OPERATE
MODEL FOR ADJUSTMENT FOR BOTH
FOR PAYMENT OF SERVICES THIS IS
GOING TO TAKE A WHILE
ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CURRENT
STUDY ADMITS TO BEING FLAWED
AND IN PERFECT THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES TASK
FORCE IS GETTING UNDER WAY TO
ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE
HOWEVER IN THE MEANTIME
FAMILIES NEED TO HAVE PROGRAMS
AND PROVIDERS FOR ACCESS TO
REALLY START SERVICES. AND
SUPPORTING PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE
OUT REACH FOR DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING WILL NOT SHOW A
POSITIVE RESULT IF THERE ARE
NOT SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR
REFERRALS. ANOTHER SPECIFIC HAS
TO DO WITH THE FAMILY
PARTICIPATION FEE. SHARE CHIANG
FAMILIES FOR SERVICES FOR THEIR
YOUNG CHILDREN IS WRONG TO LACE
NEEDED SERVICES AND LEADS TO
WORST DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES I
THINK THERE'S LEGISLATION ON
THAT YES SENATOR STERN IS
PUTTING FORTH THE BILL SB FOUR
ONE TWO. THERE ARE EFFORTS
CURRENTLY TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THE SITUATIONS SUCH AS THE
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSIONS THE BILL.
ONE OF THE USE OF PRIVATE
INSURANCE FOR FAMILY SAYS
CREATED A BARRIER WITH THE
REQUIREMENT OF COPAYS AND
DEDUCTIBLES IF A SERVICE BEGINS
IT MIGHT TAKE ON A START AND
STOP PATTERN WITH FREQUENTLY
CHANGING STAFF. FAMILIES HAVE
TO ADJUST TO DIFFERENT STAFF
WHO HAVE NO TIME TO COLLABORATE
PLAN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLANS
TOGETHER. IT IS ALSO CREATED A
NEW LEARNING CURVE FOR IN FROM
PROGRAMS TO A FAT TO EDUCATE
THEMSELVES ON A VARIETY OF
INSURANCE OPTIONS COLLECTIONS
OF FEES CODES. MEDICAL REPORT
WRITING. AND SERVICE GUIDELINES.
THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO FOR ALL
START. DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
CHILD FIND COMPONENT OF EARLY
START ONCE A SCREENING
IDENTIFIES THE DEVELOPMENTAL
CONCERNED THE FAMILY. CAN CAN
SEEK AN ASSESSMENT AND
EVALUATION TO DEVELOP A
DETERMINE A REFERRAL
APPROPRIATE REFERRAL. THE
SYSTEM IN ORDER TO MEET ITS
REQUIREMENTS AND BE SUCCESSFUL
NEEDS WELL TRAINED WORK FORCE.
AS INDICATED IN THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION REPORT ONE OF THE
STRENGTHS OF IN FROM PROGRAMS
AS A WELL TRAINED TEAM OF
DISCIPLINES CHILD DEVELOPMENT
SPECIAL EDUCATOR OCCUPATIONAL
PHYSICAL AND SPEECH THERAPISTS
SOCIAL WORKER NURSE PHYSICIAN
PSYCHOLOGIST ETCETERA. AND
THERE ARE MANY RESEARCH BASED
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AND
PERSONAL COMPANIES COMPETENCIES
AVAILABLE INCLUDING THE ICC
EARLY START PERSONAL MANUAL FOR
ONE. A WELL TRAINED WORKFORCE
ALSO NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE
SERVICE COORDINATORS WITHIN THE
REGIONAL CENTERS SYSTEM. THEY
NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS A
QUALITY SERVICE HOW TO SUPPORT
A FAMILY THROUGH ITS ENTRY IN
TRANSITION FROM EARLY START.
THANK YOU FOR BEGINNING A
CONVERSATION ON HOW THIS SYSTEM
CAN BE IMPROVED ALL SYSTEMS CAN
BE IMPROVED. TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF THEIR CONSUMERS. HOWEVER I
CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE THAT EARLY START
DOES WORK I KNOW THIS FROM
FEEDBACK I GET FROM PARENTS AND
THEIR CHILDREN THAT I'VE WORKED
WITH OVER THE YEARS. THE
PARENTS WHO MET IN IN IN FROM
PROGRAM WHO STILL CONNECT
WHENEVER A TRANSITION OCCURS.
IN THERE NOW ADULT CHILDREN'S
LIVES NEW PROGRAM A WEDDING
DEATH. THEY CONTINUE TO SHARE
THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THEIR
INTERACTIONS IN IN IN FROM
PROGRAM SETTING WHERE THEY
LEARN TO SUPPORT ADVOCATE FOR
THEIR CHILDREN. AS SHOWN BY THE
PARENTS SHARING OF INFORMATION
TODAY. THAT IS THAT IS A REALLY
INCREDIBLE POINT TO REMEMBER.
LIKE THE WARM LINE. SHARES AS A
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER AS ONE
OF THE MAINSTAY OF EARLY START
SERVICES. THEY ARE SUPPORTING
PARENTS THROUGH CRITICAL TIME
SO THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY TAKE
CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN THANK
YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY I. BELIEVE
PARENTS WANT TO HELP EACH OTHER
AND ONCE THEY LEARN HOW TO HELP
EACH OTHER THAN THEY HELP EACH
OTHER. RIGHT BECAUSE THEY
UNDERSTAND THE PAIN AND THE
STRUGGLES OF TRYING TO HELP
YOUR CHILD AND I THINK THAT WAS
RELEVANT TODAY IN ITS ROLE THAN
AND I THINK EVERYONE'S
TESTIMONY IS KIND OF REITERATED
THAT POINT AS WELL. LET ME JUST
ASK A GENERAL QUESTION BECAUSE
IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THESE
PROGRAMS IN EARLIER WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SILOS AND
BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND
INTEGRATING. HOW DOES EARLY
START WORK WITH HELP ME GROW DO
THEY OVERLAP DO YOU INTEGRATE
HOW TO HOW TO TURN UNDERSTAND
LIKE WHAT FIRST FIVE IS DOING
WITH THE COUNTY IS DOING. WITH
THE REGIONAL CENTERS ARE DOING
AND HOW THAT ALL INTEGRATES
WITH EACH OTHER TO TRY TO
FIGURE THAT OUT FOR A PARENTS
ARE. ABSOLUTELY PLEASE NOW IN
AND IDEALLY YEAH SO HAPPY TO
EXPLAIN THIS AND IDEALLY. YOU
KNOW WERE BROUGH HOPEFULLY
WE'RE BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT IS
GOING TO BE A NO WRONG DOOR
SOLUTION FOR FAMILIES SO THAT
THEY DON'T KNOW KIND OF THE
COMPLEXITIES OF WHAT THE- OF
WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING
BEHIND THE SCENES IN TERMS OF
MONEY TRANSFERS AND AMMO USE
THAT ARE IN PLACE. BUT IDEALLY
WHAT'S HAPPENING AND AGAIN HELP
ME GROW IS DIFFERENT
IMPORTATION STAGES DEPENDING ON
WHICH COUNTY IT'S AN- BUT WHAT
WE'VE BEEN SEEN BUT THE
COUNTIES THAT. ARE FURTHER
ALONG IN IMPLEMENTATION. AT ITS
BEST HELP ME GROW IS HELPING
AND WORKING VERY MUCH IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE REGIONAL
CENTERS THEMSELVES. BECAUSE
WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IS TO
HELP IDENTIFY THE FAMILIES THAT
ARE MOST AT RISK. THAT WOULD
NEED TO GO THAN RECEIVE
SERVICES FROM THE REGIONAL
ENTER. SO THEY CAN ALMOST WORK
AS THE PRE SCREEN AND A LOT OF
WAYS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE FAMILIES AND THEN
CONNECTED TO SERVICES THAT THEY
CAN ALTERNATE RECEIVE. AND
MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE KIND
OF FINAL TO THE RIGHT
APPROPRIATE SPOT. MA'AM OKAY
AND SO RIGHT NOW HELP ME GROW
IS AND HOW MANY COUNTIES TWENTY
SIX. TWENTY SIX COUNTIES AND
WHAT ALL AT DIFFERENT STAGES
BUT. SO HOW DO WE GET IT
STATEWIDE IS IT JUST A MATTER
RESOURCES SEVENTY MATTER
RESOURCES AND IT'S A MATTER OF
BUILDING OUT THE NECESSARY
COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE I
THINK WAS ALSO CRITICAL TO THIS
IS. THERE ARE A EXISTING ASSETS
THAT ARE GOING TO VERY COUNTY
TO COUNTY SO SOME OF THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS DO LOOK SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENTLY. BUT ENSURING THAT
THIS IS A EVEN GETTING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER LOCALLY
TO START SAYING CAN WE SET UP A
HELP ME GROW WHAT WOULD THAT
LOOK LIKE LOCALLY. AND ALL EVEN
HIGHLIGHT FIRST FIVE KERN WHO'S
HERE TODAY THERE ARE MOST
RECENT COUNTY THAT'LL BE
STARTING TO HELP ME GROW
SYSTEM. EVEN STARTING TO HAVE
THOSE CONVERSATIONS LOCALLY
ABOUT WHO NEEDS TO BE AT THE
TABLE TO START SAYING WE'RE ALL
GONNA WE WILL ALL COLLECTIVELY
OWN A PIECE OF THE EARLY
IDENTIFICATION INTERVENTION
SYSTEM. IS CRITICAL TO BREAKING
DOWN BARRIERS IN THE STARTING
THOSE FOR STOPS. AND SEVEN FOR
EARLY START WE KNOW. YOU KNOW
IDENTIFYING PEOPLE EARLIER HOW
ARE WE- PUSHING TOWARDS THE
TESTING THAT WAS IS A THREE
MONTHS NINE MONTHS TWELVE
MONTHS TWO YEARS OLD HOW'S THAT
HAPPENING WITH THESE PROGRAMS
THERE'S JUST GUIDING THE
PARENTS TO SAY HEY TALK TO YOUR
HEALTH PLANS YOUR INSURANCE OR
MEDICARE AL. AND TRY TO FIGURE
THIS OUT OF. HI HOW DO WE GET
TO THAT POINT. IN TERMS OF THE
PARENT EDUCATION THE OTHER
PARENT EDUCATION ARE JUST IS
THAT HAPPENING YEARS IS JUST
SOMETHING THAT. HERE IN THIS
PROGRAM AND NOW I NEED YOU TO
GO DO X. Y. AND Z. AND THAT
INCLUDES A SCREENING TESTS YEAH
I CAN SPEAK AS A AS A NEW
PARENT. I HAVE I HAVE AN EIGHT
MONTH OLD. THE KIND OF IN THE
THICK OF IT. AND I KNOW ALL TO
QUICKLY SHARED AS AS WELL THIS
ISN'T TANYA AND ACTUALLY KIND
OF AND- I HAD. AND INSPIRED ME
TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF MY
STORY TO MY AND MY DAUGHTER WAS
BORN VERY PREMATURE ANSWER
SHE'S HIGH RISK FOR
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS SAID THIS
IS AN ISSUE THAT I TALK ABOUT.
ALL THE TIME WITH AND WORK BUT
I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME BUT
THEN MY HOME TO. AND IN TERMS
OF THE- THE DEVELOPMENT THAT
WERE THAT WE ARE TRACKING ON A
VERY REGULAR BASIS. SHE IS
DOING GREAT AND SHE'S ON TRACK
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT
IT IS MORE PIECE MAILED AND YOU
DO RECEIVE DIFFERENT FROM A
FROM DIFFERENT PLACES. BUT WHAT
THEY DO YOU RECOMMEND FROM THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
IS THAT YOUR CHILD WILL GET
SCREENED AT NINE MONTHS
EIGHTEEN MONTHS AND THEN EITHER
TWENTY FOUR THIRTY SIX MILE
THIRTY MONTHS. SO YOU ARE
LOOKING AT THIS IT IS
STANDARDIZED AND THAT IS PART
OF THE EMPHASIS OF THE BILL AB
ONE ZERO ZERO FOUR IS THAT A
HELP STANDARDIZE THIS AS WELL.
ABOUT THAT PERIODICITY OF WHEN
YOU ACTUALLY DO GO THROUGH
SCREENS. BUT I THINK WHAT WE
HEARD FROM SO MANY OF THE
PARENTS THAT IS SO CRITICAL. IS
THAT. WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT
JUST GOING TO BE THESE WELL
CHILD VISITS OF WHEN YOU MIGHT
ACTUALLY FIRST IDENTIFIED
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS. IT IS
GOING TO BE ALL OF THOSE THAT
ARE HAVING ACCESS REGULARLY
WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. THAT ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO BE PART OF
THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP
BUILD OUT THAT HOLISTIC SYSTEM
OF CARE. AND THAT'S WHAT I
THINK OF VALUE OF A HELP ME
GROW SYSTEM IS BECAUSE IT IS
TRYING TO. WORK IN CONJUNCTION
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE
ANOTHER. GOT IT I THINK THAT'S
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERYONE
IS LIKE HOW DO WE GET TO THIS
HOLISTIC. STANDARD OF CARE.
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE THE SAME
OUTCOME FOR THE CHILD. AND MINE
SO. OKAY WELL THANK YOU. WE
ASK. ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY IF
NOT THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO I
JUST WANT TO AT LEAST COMMENT
WITH. HOW WE ARE WE'RE LOOKING
AT DOING WHETHER WE CALL IT
TRYING TO FIND WHETHER WE CALL
IT. DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING.
THE NOTION IS TO BE ABLE TO
OFFER FOR ALL CHILDREN. THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS. TO
ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES.
ALL CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING TO
NEED. DEVELOPMENTAL FOLLOW UP.
BUT PERRANCE. IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL
EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO
FAMILIES SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO
GO THROUGH THE EMOTIONAL
TURMOIL OF WORRYING WHAT
THEY'RE SEEING IS WHAT. AND IT
AND BY OFFERING IT WITH EQUAL
ACCESS. WOULD I THINK BE VERY
BENEFICIAL THAT I THINK THAT'S
WHY THE ADVOCATES OR THE- LINES.
ARE SO IMPORTANT SO INTEGRAL SO
APPRECIATE THE TESTIMONY THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WHAT'S GOOD AND MOVED OUT TO
PUBLIC COMMENT WE HAVE ANY
PUBLIC COMMENTS. PLEASE
APPROACH IF YOU COULD STATE
YOUR NAME AND ORGANIZATION OR
WITH OR YOU'RE NOT WITH AN
ORGANIZATION WHICH COUNTY OR
FROM. I HAVE A LIMIT TO LESS
THAN TWO MINUTES PLEASE THANKS
CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
MY NAME IS CINDY JACKSON SENIOR
PROGRAM ANALYST OF THE RECEIPT
ASSOCIATION OF REGIONAL CENTER
AGENCIES PARKER. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IS
PRESENT OUR TESTIMONY TODAY AND
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT
WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN WHICH WE
HAVE. AKA AGREES WITH MANY
ASPECTS OF THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION FINAL REPORT. AND
SUPPORTS THE IMPROVEMENT OF
EFFICIENCY AND OVERALL OUTCOMES
FOR CHILDREN RECEIVING EARLY
START SERVICES. HOWEVER IT'S
BEEN A LACK OF FUNDING THAT IS
POLLS SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN
REACHING CHILD OUTCOMES FOR
EXAMPLE. INADEQUATE FUNDING
LEVELS FOR SERVICE PROVIDER
REGIONAL CENTERS FOR YEARS AND
IN SOME CASES DECADES HAVE LEFT
THE PROGRAM STRETCHED TO THE
LIMIT. FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
INCREASINGLY EXPECTED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE COST OF
CERTAIN EARLY START SERVICES
SOME OUT OPT OUT OF SERVICES
DUE TO THIS FEE. REGIONAL
CENTERS HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED
FOR DECADES RESULTING IN A
SHORTFALL OF SERVICE
COORDINATORS SIX HUNDRED X. SIX
HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE SERVICE
COORDINATORS NEEDED STATEWIDE.
IN A TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH
MANDATES. ANY PROPOSAL TO
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS
WITHOUT NECESSARY FUNDING WILL
FURTHER EXACERBATE THE EXISTING
CHALLENGES IN PROVIDING TIMELY
SERVICES. WALKER SUPPORTS THE
RECOMMENDATION OF THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION REPORT THAT
PERTAIN TO ADDITIONAL NEEDED
INVESTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE
EARLY START SERVICES SYSTEM TO
IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY
MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUNG
CHILDREN REQUIRE ADVOCATE
ADEQUATE FUNDING. FOR EXISTING
SERVICE PROVIDERS RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT. AT AND REGIONAL
CENTER OPERATIONS FOR CRITICAL
FUNCTIONS RELATED TO SERVICE
COORDINATION. THANK YOU THANK
YOU THANK YOU AND BELIEVE ALL
THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE
OR FIGHTING FOR. THOSE BUDGET.
THIS BUDGET ASKS ISRAELIS.
ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY. GOOD
MORNING I'M DONNA SNARE INJURE
I'M WITH THE CHILD CARE
RESOURCE CENTER WORLD NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA WHO PROVIDES ALL
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF
SERVICES. FROM HEAD START AND
CHILD CARE PROGRAMS THROUGH
HOME VISITING AND A VARIETY OF
OTHER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN
TRAINING FOR CHILD CARE
PROVIDERS. I A WANT TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS MADE BY TONYA MCMILLAN
ABOUT THE CRITICAL ROLE THE
CHILD CARE PROVIDERS CAN PLAY.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN
THE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND
SUPPORT SYSTEM CHILDREN ARE
GOING TO CHILD CARE EVERY DAY.
AND THE PROVIDERS ARE NOT
SUPPORTED IN THAT WORK BUT THEY
ARE THERE AND THEY ARE READY
AND WILLING TO BE A PART OF
THAT A SUPPORT SYSTEM AND I
THINK THAT IT'S A READY MADE
EXAMPLE OF. HOW WE CAN BETTER
INTEGRATE OUR PROGRAMS THE
OTHER THING IS I WOULD JUST
LIKE TO ECHO SUPPORT FOR THE
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION I THINK A LOT
OF GOOD WORK WAS DONE AND NOW
IT'S OUR JOB TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANKS SO
MUCH THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY PLEASE MY NAME IS
JACKIE CLARK AND I JUST RETIRED
FROM AN INTERN PROGRAM THAT WAS
BOTH FUNDED BY THE STATE PART
OF EDUCATION FOR UP TO FUNDED
CAPACITY WHICH IS PRIMARILY A
DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
CHILDREN VISION IMPAIRED SOLELY
LOW INCIDENCE CHILDREN AND THEN
WE'VE ALSO BEEN A REGIONAL
CENTER VENDOR AND I THINK IT'S
A WONDERFUL TIME TO LOOK AT THE
WHOLE SYSTEM OF EARLY
INTERVENTION I KNOW IDA PART
SEE. AND ON SPECIFICALLY EARLY
START HAS THAT IN THEIR
STATUTES AND REGULATIONS THAT
EARLY START SHOULD BE A
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH OF
MULTIPLE AGENCIES BECAUSE
FISCALLY AND IN COMMUNITIES
CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED WITH A
LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND I
THINK SPEAKING TOWARDS THE
ACCOUNTABILITY OF TAKING CARE
OF CHILDREN GOES A LONG WAY
FROM ACROSS ALL AGENCIES I KNOW
IN OUR PROGRAM. WE PULL
TOGETHER ALL OF OUR ON COUNTY
SERVICE AGENCIES IN NINETEEN
EIGHTY SIX WHEN THEY HAVE THE-
FEDERAL INCENTIVE FUNDS FOR THE
LAKERS LOCAL INTERAGENCY
COORDINATING AREAS. AND SO
WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS NO. THE
SINGLE DOOR OF ENTRY EVERYONE
ACROSS REFERS TO EACH OTHER AND
EVEN IN TRANSITION WE HAVE OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICTS MEETING WITH
THE REGIONAL CENTER SERVICE
COORDINATORS AND- THE EVER
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR MONTHLY
TO HELP TRANSITION CHILDREN. WE
START THAT PROCESS SIX MONTHS
AHEAD OF TIME AND THEN AT AGE
THREE THE TRANSITION. BUT THE
BIGGEST BARRIER THAT WE HAVE
BEEN FACING IS FUNDING WE HAVE
NOT HAD FUNDING INCREASES SINCE
THE MID SEVENTIES ON A REGIONAL
CENTER SIDE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD
DECREASES. IN ON OUR CD HE
SIGHED WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF
FUNDING INCREASE BY GOVERNOR
DEUKMEJIAN IN NINETEEN EIGHTY
SIX BUT NOTHING ELSE WE
RECENTLY ELIMINATED FIVE POINT
FIVE POSITIONS ARE NURSING. IF
A FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH SO. THE
FUNDING IN DOES HAVE A HUGE
IMPACT ESPCIALLY SINCE THE
RESEARCH BASE TO GO OUT TO THE
FAMILIES AND PROVIDE A COACHING
MODEL WITH THE FAMILIES ON
EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES OF.
WHAT DO THEY DO DURING THE DAY
WATER THEIR ROUTINES WHAT IS A
LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF CHILD
DEVELOPMENT AND INTERVENTION
ACTIVITIES THAT'LL HELP
PARTICIPATION IN THE FAMILY AND
THEN THOSE. DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES WILL GO OUT AND
TEACH THE FAMILY INTERVENTION
STRATEGIES AND THEN ALL THE
DIFFERENT DIVERSE DISCIPLINES
WORK TOGETHER SO TRAVELING OUT
TO THE HOMES WAS NOT EVER ON
THE COST OF THAT WAS NEVER
MITIGATED WHEN. AND THE EARLY
START WAS PASSED IN NINETEEN
NINETY THREE SO THE FUNDING
STATE FLAT BUT OUR COST
INCREASE. TO TRAVEL OUT TO THE
HOMES AND THEN INSTEAD OF
SEEING SIX TO EIGHT FAMILIES A
DAY WE CAN ONLY SEE TWO TO
THREE SO YOU HAVE TO HIRE MORE
STAFF TO SEE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
FAMILIES WHICH WAS YOUR
COMMITMENT. AND I KNOW FOR OUR
REGIONAL CENTER VENDORS STATION
WE DROP FROM FOREHAND FOUR
HUNDRED FAMILIES DOWN TO NINETY
FAMILIES BECAUSE THE RATES ARE
PAYING US WE CAN'T SUSTAIN OUR
OUR STAFF. YEAH THOSE WERE ALL
DISCUSSIONS. WE HAD IN OUR
BUDGET SUB COMMITTEES AS WELL
GREAT THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY. HI SHARI MARTIN WITH
FIRST FIVE LA FOR SEVERAL A HAS
MADE EARLY IDENTIFICATION
INTERVENTION OUR TOP PRIORITY
AND IMPROVING HEALTH RELATED
SYSTEMS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
AND US ALONG WITH CHILDREN NOW
IN FOR SIDE ASSOCIATION ARE CO
SPONSORING AB WINTERS ARE FOR
MCCARTY SMELL ON DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENING TO CLARIFY THE
CURRENT. PARTNER WITH THE
SYSTEM MORE AND INVEST IN A
MORE EFFECTIVE WAY IN OUR HELP
ME GROW LA INVESTMENTS HAVE
IDENTIFIED LOCAL ISSUES WHICH
WERE ALL ACT AGO TODAY ON
LINKAGES TO SERVICES AND
SCREENING PRACTICES BUT I
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SO FOR
SCREENING PROVIDERS HAVE A
VARYING DEGREE OF KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT DEVELOPMENT ON BEHAVIORAL
DELAYS AND SCREENINGS PROVIDERS
HAVE VARYING DEGREES OF COMFORT
HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
DELAYS WITH FAMILIES. THERE'S
INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITATIONS AND
WORK FLOW DYNAMICS THAT MAKE
SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF
SCREENING DIFFICULT TO PRACTICE
A LACK OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
AND OVERSIGHT FOR PROVIDERS AND
HEALTH PLANS AFFECTS THE
PRACTICE OF SURVEILLANCE AND
SCREENING IN THE QUALITY OF
DATA THAT'S AND RETRIEVED AND A
LACK OF CONSISTENCY ENERGIZED
GREEN DATA COLLECTED ACROSS
EARLY DEDICATION AYE
INTERVENTION SYSTEMS EXISTS
WELL AND THEN FOR THE LINKAGES
TO SERVICES WE HAVE A REALLY
FRAGMENTED SERVICE SYSTEM IN
COMPLEX ELIGIBILITY AND
REFERRAL PROCESSES. THAT MAKES
IT DIFFICULT TO MATCH
IDENTIFIED NEEDS WITH
APPROPRIATE REFERRALS AND THEN
THE REFERRALS AND LINKAGES TO
EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES ARE
OFTEN UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF
LIMITED SERVICES IN ANY GIVEN
COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CHILD
IN FAMILIES UNIQUE NEEDS SO
NETWORK ADEQUACY IS ANOTHER
CONCERN. GOT IT THANK YOU.
ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY. GOOD
MORNING OUTS TO CAPRI ON BEHALF
OF FOR SIDE CALIFORNIA. AS
WE'VE HEARD TODAY THE
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EARLY
START SERVICES IS TOO HIGH IN
CALIFORNIA AND FAR ABOVE THAT
OF MOST OTHER STATES. THIS HAS
MAJOR CONSEQUENCES FOR FAMILIES
PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH
CHILDREN WHO HAVE MILD TO
MODERATE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS.
SO FOR CHILDREN WITH MILD TO
MODERATE DELAYS EVEN LIGHT
TOUCH APPROACHES CAN HELP
RETURN THEM TO AN OPTICAL PATH
FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROCESS
OF WAITING THE NEED FOR MORE
COSTLY INTERVENTIONS
INTERVENTIONS LATER IN LIFE.
IMPORTANTLY EARLY INTERVENTION
IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN A WAIT
AND SEE APPROACH PRECISELY
BECAUSE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE
BEHAVIOR DECREASED SAYS THAT
THE CHILD GROWS OLDER AND BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT SLOWS. ADDITIONALLY
AND MORE BROADLY CALIFORNIA'S
EARLY IDENTIFICATION
INTERVENTION SYSTEM IS
FRAGMENTED UNDER RESOURCE AND
LACKING THE CAPACITY NECESSARY
TO ADEQUATELY SERVE CHILDREN.
PARENTS HAVE DIFFICULTY
NAVIGATING WHERE WHAT CARE
THEIR CHILD IS OR IS NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR AS WE'VE HEARD
TODAY AND THAT'S DIFFICULT IT
CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO A FEW
DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE THE
GEOGRAPHICALLY BASED STRUCTURE
OF THE REGIONAL CENTER SYSTEM
EMILY TO PARENTAL CONFUSION
RESULT IN CERTAIN SERVICES NOT
BEING AVAILABLE LOCALLY. ON THE
PROVIDER SIDE PEDIATRIC
PEDIATRICIANS MAY LACK
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AVAILABLE
RESOURCES AND US BEING ABLE TO
PROMPTLY ARE FOR FAMILIES TO
SERVICES. AND THREE THE STATE'S
EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM
ITSELF AS COMPLEX AND STRUGGLES
TO ENGAGE WITH FAMILIES.
PARENTS OFTEN HAVE DIFFICULTY
NAVIGATING ON THEIR OWN SO THE
STATE MUST BETTER ENSURE THAT
FOR CHILDREN WHO MEET
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
PARENTS KNOW THAT FREE REGIONAL
CENTER CARE IS AVAILABLE. AND
WHAT SPECIFIC SERVICES ARE
ACCESSIBLE LOCALLY AND BE
ASSURED THAT HIGH QUALITY EARLY
INTERVENTIONS ARE AVAILABLE
WHEN THEY NEED THEM. AND FOR
CHILDREN WHO DO NOT MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS THE STATE SHOULD
NOTIFY FAMILIES ABOUT SERVICES
AND RESOURCES EXIST OUTSIDE THE
REGIONAL CENTER SYSTEM. AND
WHAT SURVEILLANCE IS AVAILABLE
TO MONITOR ELIGIBILITY IN THE
FUTURESO POLICIES THAT IMPROVE
COORDINATION WITH AN E. A. I.
SYSTEM AND AN INCREASE THE
FAMILY'S ABILITY TO SECURE
SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN ARE
VITAL. AND SHOULD BE ADOPTED IN
SUPPORT OF. A CALIFORNIA THANK
YOU THANK YOU ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY. MR TERRITORIES
ANDERSON WITH THE ARK IN UNITED
CEREBRAL PALSY CALIFORNIA
COOPERATION. FURTHER ONE OF
THANK YOU AND THE OTHER MEMBERS
THAT WERE HERE FOR HOLDING THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT. SECOND THE
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ALL THE
WORK THEY DID IT. HUGE THANKS
TO THEM FOR THAT. WE YOU WE'VE
HEARD A LOT TODAY AND IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME I'D LIKE TO SO
SEAT MY COMMENTS WITH THOSE
THAT WERE MADE BY. MY FRIEND
AND COLLEAGUE FRANCE A SOME
FROM IDA WE REALLY REALLY NEED
TO LOOK AT HOW WE FUND THE
SYSTEM. AND UNDERSTAND THAT
THESE THERE'S A MODEL IN PLACE
WE HAVE WE KNOW WHAT THE MODEL
IS AND WE KNOW WHAT HOW.
SUCCESSFUL IS. WE NEED TO FIND
IT SO WE CAN HAVE THE PROVIDERS
THEIR FOR THE MILE. THANK YOU
THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY
PLACE. HELLO MY NAME IS ERIC
HARRIS I AM WITH DISABILITY
RIGHTS CALIFORNIA AND I ALSO
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS A
VERY SPECIAL HEARING TODAY AND
I OF A LINE A LOT OF MY
COMMENTS WITH THE PREVIOUS
COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE
ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET IN
THE FINANCE FOR THIS IMPORTANT
ISSUE I WANNA DRESS A CERTAIN
QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU
ASKED EARLIER ABOUT YES WHAT
SHOULD THE LEGISLATURE
BASICALLY PRIORITIZE WHEN IT
COMES TO YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS AND YOUNG PEOPLE
DISABILITIES. AND I KNOW THAT
YOU KNOW THE DANCES THAT WERE
GIVEN WERE VERY VERY STRONG IN
TERMS OF THE AREAS THAT SHOULD
BE PRIORITIZE BUT I WOULD SAY
IN ADDITION TO THAT THAT I HOPE
OF THAT YOU IN ANY OTHER
LEGISLATORS IN THIS BUILDING DO
NOT HESITATE OF BECAUSE YOU'RE
TRYING TO BE EITHER PERFECT OR
TRYING TO PRIORITIZE THE EXACT
THING THAT YOU THINK OF PEOPLE
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS YOUNG PEOPLE
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS PARENTS AND
FAMILIES. OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS NEED BECAUSE IT'S
ALL IMPORTANT SO EVERY ANGLE
THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS THESE
ISSUES REALLY REALLY CRUCIAL I
KNOW ONE OF THE ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY MOST PROUD TO BE AT
THE ARE SEEING ONE OF THE ONE
OF THE AREAS WHERE DRC REALLY
PRIDE OURSELVES THAT WE ADDRESS
ISSUES FROM A WIDE ARRAY OF
ANGLES SO WE WILL ADVOCATE FOR
PEOPLE WE WILL ADVOCATE FOR
PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING WE WILL
LITIGATE ISSUES WE WILL ADDRESS
INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES
AND WE- OF AND WE REALLY JUST
TRIED TO ADDRESS. ALL ISSUES
WITH DISABILITIES IN AS MANY
ANGLES AS WE CAN SO I HOPE THAT
MOVING FORWARD NOT JUST I KNOW
THAT THIS COMMITTEES. A GREAT
ONE FOR THIS ISSUE BUT
EVERYBODY IN THIS BUILD. NG I
HOPE OF WILL ADDRESS. ISSUES
RELATING TO DISABILITY AND AS
MANY AREAS AS THEY CAN
ESPECIALLY GETTING INFORMATION
TO PARENTS GETTING INFORMATION
TO FAMILIES ESPECIALLY FAMILIES
WHO ARE LOW INCOME ESPECIALLY
FAMILIES OF COLOR FAMILIES WHO.
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ACCESS
TO. THE SAME INFORMATION THAT
OTHER FAMILIES MIGHT SO I HOPE
THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO THE
WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WE WILL
DO ALL WE CAN. AS AN ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION AT YEAR SEE OF TO
BE IN THIS BUILDING AND
REPRESENT AS MANY OF PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES AS WE CAN.
ALL RIGHT THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY PLEASE. MORNING
MORNING MORNING IN THE MORNING
BUT A ROLE IN MY ARM EXACTLY
DIRECTOR FIRST FIVE KERN AS YOU
KNOW I APPLAUD THAT UNIT
COMMITTEE ARE LOOKING AT EARLY
IDENTIFICATION AND PREVENTION
WE ARE FAILING TOO MANY KIDS
AND FAMILIES AND BOTH
IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENTAL
DELAYS AND A PER AND ACCEPTING
APPROPRIATE SERVICES. SEEING
TOO MANY FAMILY FAILED TO THE
CRACKS IN KERN COUNTY. AND
HEARING ABOUT THE BEST PRACTICE
SO SHOULD WOULD HELP ME GROW WE
MAKE MADE THAT MOVING KERN
COUNTY OUT WITH A WITH A LOT OF
OUR PART AND WE COULDN'T DO IT
WITHOUT THE MHSAA DOLLARS FOR
P. E. I. THAT THAT ARE. KERN
RAVER HELP RECOVERY SERVICES
JUST GAVE US SOME FUNDING FOR
THAT WE WORKED WITH TWO ONE ONE
FOR PROBABLY A COUPLE YEARS NOW
YOU KNOW IT'S A FIRST FIVE
FUNDED PROGRAM. LOOKING AT
SERVICES AND REFERRALS. WHAT WE
WANT TO DO IS TRY TO MAKE IT
PERFECT OR OR MAKE EVERYTHING
IN PLACE IN STE AND WE'VE
WAITED TOO LONG WE ACTUALLY
SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON BOARD BUT-
WE ARE VERY ACTIVE NOW FIRST
FIVE. WITH THE TWO ONE ONE AND
HELP ME GROW MODEL SO I THINK
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT STARTING
KERN COUNTY. STATE LEVEL
LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE FRAWLEY
BOTH FOR OUR LOCAL SYSTEM
BUILDING EFFORTS. WE HOPE THIS
COMMITTEE CAN STUDY HOW TO
FURTHER EXPAND CALL
DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS. AND
IMPROVE LINKAGES TO SERVICES
AND EXPAND ACCESS TO
APPROPRIATE IN AFFORDABLE
DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES AND IT
FOR FIVE KERN AND ALL THE FIRST
FIVE THAT ARE HERE IN THE
ASSOCIATION. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE THERE WITH YOU
ALL THE WAY LONG AND PLEASE
THINK OF US AS AN ADVOCATE AND
AN A SERVICE THAT WE CAN HELP
YOU. AND I'M ALSO GOING TO BE
WILLING TO HELP YOU AND WHEN WE
HAD THIS CONVERSATION IN KERN
COUNTY. THANK YOU ARE ONLY BE
ON THE FRONT RIGHT FOR FIVE
ROAD FOR THAT ALL RIGHT
ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU WE SHOULD
YOU BEING HERE THANK YOU.
DIGITAL TESTIMONY PLEASE. HI
GOOD MORNING I'M ERIN MARI WITH
FIRST I SACRAMENTO THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS COMMITTEE
TOGETHER. AND IT IS GREAT TO BE
PART OF A NETWORK THAT IT
ALREADY IS IN PLACE FIRST FIVE
IN EVERY COUNTY. AND IS MARGO
SAID NOW TWENTY FIVE HELP ME
GROWS. WHICH ARE MAINLY FUNDED
BY FIRST I SACRAMENTO AND AS
YOU KNOW AS A DECLINING FUNDING
SOURCE. THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO PICK UP ALL THOSE
PIECES AND CONTINUE THE
SERVICES. THAT'S WHY WE ARE
LUCKY TO HAVE YOU. MAKING THOSE
POLICY CHANGES AND THEN ALSO
FINDING WAYS TO LEVERAGE SOME
OF THE DOLLARS THAT. ROLAND
SAID. HERE IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY
I'VE HAD THE ABSOLUTE HONOR AND
PRIVILEGE TO LAUNCH HELP ME
GROW HERE IN SACRAMENTO. WE ARE
THE CSUS SOLE FUNDER IT IS
HOUSE OUT OF THE SACRAMENTO
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION. AND
WARM LINE IS OUR- CALL CENTER.
AND JUST HEARING ALL THE
TESTIMONY I JUST HAVE TO SAY
THE BEST NEW WORDS I HAVE FOR
HELP ME GROW. AS WHAT MARGOT
SAID IS A TRAFFIC CONTROL
CENTER. AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS
IT IS SEAMLESS. PARENTS DON'T
NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE
GOING TO. IT JUST HAPPENED. AND
WHAT'S NICE IS THAT THIS
PROGRAM. FOLLOWS UP THIRTY
SIXTY DAYS TO MAKE SURE THOSE
PARENTS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY
NEED. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU AND FIRST FIVE IS
THAT YOUR PARTNER MOVING
FORWARD WITH THIS THANK YOU. WE
SHOULD THAT. DIGITAL TESTIMONY
PLEASE. THANK YOU MY NAME IS
STEPHANIE GOMEZ I'M A LICENSED
CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER I WORK
WITH SACRAMENTO COUNTY OFFICE
OF EDUCATION AND HELPING TO
ROLLOUT THIS HELP ME GROW
SACRAMENTO I DID NOT HAVE
PREPARED THOUGHTS SO WHAT I
WANTED TO SAY A VERY VERY VERY
BRIEFLY WAS A FEW CONCRETE
EXAMPLES AND OF RECOMMENDATIONS
RELATING TO YOUR QUESTIONS THAT
YOU HAD SPECIFICALLY I'M SO OF.
OF COURSE WE TALKED ABOUT
FUNDING RIGHT FOR EARLY
INTERVENTION I DON'T HAVE TO
SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE MY
PARTNER FROM PLASTER COUNTY
SPOKE VERY ELOQUENTLY TO THAT.
WE'D THIS IS VERY OVERWHELMING
AND IF WE THINK ABOUT JUST
STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO GET DONE SO
I THINK LEVERAGING THE
STRENGTHS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT.
SO HELP ME GROW THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN
EVERY COUNTY THAT REALLY IS
GOING TO BE THE ONE STOP SHOP
WHERE. LOCAL PROVIDERS EARLY
CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS
EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY WHO
LAYS EYES ON A CHILD WILL KNOW
THAT IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS OR
QUESTIONS THEY JUST CALL HELP
ME GROW IN THEIR COUNTY. AND SO
IT'S GOING TO BE THAT EASY
ACCESS BUT AGAIN WE'RE GONNA
NEED FUNDING FOR THAT. ON THE
SECOND THING I WANTED TO
ADDRESS. SO WE'RE DOING THE
WERE DOING THE SCREENING AND
WE'RE DOING THE CONNECTING TO
RESOURCES BUT WE'RE ALSO
FINDING. THAT THERE'S A LACK OF
RESOURCES RIGHT SO WE HAVE TO
BUILD THAT CAPACITY IN THE LONG
RUN. WE ARE FINDING BECAUSE I
WORK IN OUR EARLY INTERVENTION
PROGRAM. THAT SOME OF OUR
CHILDREN WE HAVE CONCERNS FOR
THERE'S A ONE TO TWO YEAR WAIT
LIST FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT.
THEY ARE TOLD THEY WILL NOT
EVEN. THEY THEY'RE BEING TOLD
THAT THEY MIGHT NOT EVEN GET TO
SEE A NEUROLOGIST UNTIL THE
CHILD IS THREE BUT THERE'S
CONCERNS EIGHTEEN MONTHS. WE
NEED MORE PROFESSIONALS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TRAINED
AND ARE REIMBURSED AND WILL GO
INTO THIS FIELD SO WE CAN SPEED
THAT PROCESS UP. THEN THERE'S A
PROCESS SOME OF THEM ARE ON A
WAIT LIST FOR YEAR TWO IN ORDER
TO GET ABA IN THE FIRST. PLACE
WE NEED INCENTIVES I THINK AND
TRAINING PROGRAMS. I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE WE
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IN ORDER
TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN THE FIELD
BECAUSE WE CAN SCREEN THEM. WE
CAN REFER THEM BUT IF THERE'S
NOBODY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES
THEY'RE STILL GONNA BE
LANGUISHING SO THOSE ARE SOME
DIRECT RECOMMENDATIONS. ON THE
THIRD THAT I HAVE VERY QUICKLY
THE CONSULTATION MODEL IN
CHILDCARE. SO SPECIFICALLY
EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH
CONSULTATION WE HOPE THAT THAT
WORKS THERE'S A NATIONAL
RECOMMENDATION THEIR STATE
RECOMMENDATIONS. WE KNOW THAT
WORKS IN ORDER TO REDUCE
PRESCHOOL. EXPULSIONS WE KNOW
THAT THAT HELPS. WITH EQUITY
ISSUES RIGHT BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT THAT SOME. HAPPENING MORE
OFTEN WITH CHILDREN OF COLOR
AND NOT ONLY ITH EARLY
CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH
CONSULTATION BUT ALSO
CONSULTATION ACROSS ALL
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS SO
OCCUPATIONAL SPARE. THERAPIST
SPEECH THERAPIST PHYSICAL
THERAPIST THE COME IN. BY THE
TRAINING IN THE CONSULTATION TO
THE OR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD
PROFESSIONALS SO THAT THEY CAN
DO THIS INCLUSIVE WORK. AND
LASTLY THEY NEED MORE MONEY
THESE BUT THEY CERTAINLY TO
OTHER PROFESSIONALS BUT AS A
PARENTS CONSISTENT OF THE
PUBLIC YES YES YES BUT AS A
PARENT IT'S REALLY HARD FOR US
MORE ALREADY I PAY MORE FOR. MY
CHILD'S PRESCHOOL THEN I WILL
FROM MY OLDEST CHILD'S COLLEGE
WHILE THAT IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA IS REALLY DIFFICULT
SO WE HAVE TO IN. CREASE THE
PAY FOR OUR UP PROVIDE FOR OUR
PROFESSIONALS WITHOUT THAT
COSTS FALLING ON FAMILIES SO IF
WE COULD LOOK AT SOME SORT OF A
STATE SUBSIDY THAN WE CAN
BALANCE THAT OUT. THANK YOU
THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY
PLEASE. ACT GOOD MORNING MY
NAME IS JAMIE AMOUNT I AM THE
PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE
CALIFORNIA FAMILY RESEARCH
ASSOCIATION I'M ALSO HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE CHILD ABUSE
PREVENTION CENTER AND SEE FOR
THE CHILD TO BE PERFECT I'M
SORRY THAT CALIFORNIA FAMILY
RESEARCH ASSOCIATION REPRESENTS
AT THREE HUNDRED FIFTY FAMILY
RESOURCE CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND FAMILY
RESOURCE CENTERS REALLY LOOK AT
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
SERVICES THROUGH A COMMUNITY
BASED LANDS AND USE THAT MODEL
AND TO HELP WITH THE CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES WE ARE SO
SUPPORTIVE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION. HAPPY AND AT
PROUD TO BE WORKING ALONGSIDE
FIRST FIVE AS FIRST FIVE IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST FUNDERS FOR
FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE I WILL
ECHO THE NEED FOR FUNDING FOR
THESE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS
ADD TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICES
FOR FAMILIES AND IN TERMS OF
BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS WERE SO
READY TO LIFT UP OUR SLEEVES I
THINK THE ENTIRE FIELD HERE HAS
SHOWN THAT WERE ALREADY TO WORK
TOGETHER HAPPY TO HAVE A
LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
WHO REALLY SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE
OF PREVENTION INTERVENTION AND
INVESTING AND AN EARLY
CHILDHOOD SO WE THANK YOU FOR
THIS HEARING. THANK YOU THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS IS NOT
US MONEY PLEASE. GOOD MORNING
NOT HER MOM ON BEHALF OF THE
ALLIANCE SUPPORTING PEOPLE THAN
AKSEL DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES. I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO QUICKLY RE EMPHASIZED IN THE
COMMENTS MADE BY THE INFANT
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
SPECIFICALLY THE NEED TO
INCLUDE INFANT DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM THERE. DEVELOPMENT
THERAPY AND PROGRAM CODES IN
THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THANK YOU
THANK YOU. DOES NOT US MONEY
PLACE HELLO MAIN SMEAR I'M THE
PROGRAM MANAGER FOR EARLY
SMALLTALK OF NO M. CENTER FOR
ORAL HEALTH WHAT ARE PROGRAM
OFFERS IS THAT WE OFFER DENTAL
SCREENINGS. ORAL HEALTH
EDUCATION FOR THE PARENTS AND
TEACHERS AND. AND THE SCHOOL
NURSES AND WE PROVIDE FLUORIDE
VARNISH TO PREVENT FROM DENTAL
CAVITIES WE ALSO NAVIGATE EACH
CHILD THAT WE SEE TO ATTEND TO
A MEDI CAL TEN DENTAL PLANS.
FROM THEN MEDI CAL DENTAL PLANS
WITH FIND THE DENSEST CLOSE TO
THE CHILD HOME AND PROVIDE
TRANSLATION TRANCE LESION IF
IT'S NEEDED. WE START GETTING
OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT BY A
FIRST FIVE IN TWO THOUSAND
EIGHTEEN SO WE FIRST THING AT
PROVIDING OUR SERVICES TO ALL
THE CHILDREN'S EIGHT ZERO TWO
FIVE AS WELL. THE MOST
DIFFICULT HE THAT WE HAVE WITH
THE CHILDREN'S WITH THE WITH
THE STABILITY IS THAT MOST OF
THE TIME. WE HAVE A HARD TIME
FINDING A DENTIST US ABLE TO
SERVE THESE CHILDREN. WE HAVE
ONE DENTIST THAT WAS SERVE FROM
SACRAMENTO TO ORGAN CAP OREGON
BORDER AND THE WAITING PERIOD
FOR THEM TO GET A DENTAL
TREATMENT IS ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AS WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERYTHING
THAT GOES ON OUR MOUTH
INCLUDING BY TERRY NICHOLS AND
THROUGH OUR- SITE THAT'S-
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AND HAS A FACT
IN THE WHOLE. WHOLE BODY SYSTEM
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON THEM.
AND THE LAST MEDICAL MEDICAL
DENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING AND WE HAD A VISIT FROM
REGIONAL CENTER WHAT THE
PARENTS AND THEY CAME AND THEY
EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS OF
WAITING TIME AND HOW THAT'S
AFFECTING THEIR CHILD'S HEALTH.
AM SO WE START THEM. FORMING A
GROUP CALLED OR HOLDEN SPECIAL
NEEDS AND GENERAL ANESTHESIA
PLANNING GROUP SO WE'RE WORKING
WITH THE REGIONAL CENTERS TO
START PROVIDING THE OR HEALTH%
EDUCATION. TO THE PARENTS AND
ENCOURAGING THE PARENTS TO
BRING CHILDREN'S AND TO THE
DENTIST EARLY ON SO THEY'RE
USED TO GETTING INTO THAT
DENTAL CHAIR. HOWEVER I FEEL
LIKE THE ORAL HEALTH AND SHOULD
BE A PART OF THE DEVELOPMENTS
HOLE ASSESSMENTS. AS WELL AS
THE I SCREENING AS WELL. OKAY
THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR TESTING
BEING. DISHONEST MONEY PLEASE
THE MORNING THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND ATTENTION ON THIS
COMMITTEE MY NAME IS SERRA
VERITY AND I AM REPRESENTING
GATE PATH AND ABILITIES UNITED
WERE SERVICE PROVIDER IN SAN
MATEO AND- SANTA CLARA COUNTY
WERE APPROACHING. OUR ONE
HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
PROVIDING SERVICES TO CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AND WE'RE A
HELP ME GROW PROVIDER GRATEFUL
FOR SAM FIRST FIVE SAME ENTAILS
FUNDING. AT WE PROVIDE CRITICAL
EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES AND
WE PROVIDE FREE DEVELOPMENTAL
SCREENINGS. WERE VERY
APPRECIATIVE TO THE GOVERNOR
FOR HIS INVESTMENT IN THOSE
SCREENINGS WHERE OBVIOUSLY.
NECESSARY FOR ALL FAMILIES TO
HAVE ACCESS. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO
SEE IS FURTHER INVESTMENT IN
THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED
AFTER THOSE SCREENINGS THERE
WERE. NO INVESTMENTS MADE AND
NOT LAST YEAR AND THAT'S
DEFINITELY SOMETHING THE
CONSISTENT MESSAGE YOU'RE
GETTING TODAY IS MORE MONEY IS
NEEDED FOR THOSE SERVICES.
THANK YOU. THE TIONAL TESTIMONY
PLEASE. HELLO I AM BECAUSE THE
CHRISTIANS AND ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT
PROGRAMS ASSOCIATION OR CAPA.
KAPPA HAS LONG SUPPORTED
CALIFORNIA'S WORKING FAMILIES
AND CONNECTING THEM TO CHILD
CARE SERVICES WE WOULD LIKE TO
ECHO PREVIOUS STATEMENTS HEARD
IN THE PANEL AND THE BLUE
RIBBON COMMISSION IN REGARDS TO
SUPPORTING TALK CARE PROVIDERS
WHO HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN
THIS ROLE OF SUPPORTING
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN SPECIAL
NEEDS. OFTEN WITHOUT THE MUCH
NEEDED TRAINING OR SUPPORT
THANK YOU THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY PLACE. HI THERE MY
NAME IS AL MOWLAM I LIVE HERE
IN SACRAMENTO. I'M HERE TODAY
AS A PARENT I HAVE A DAUGHTER
WHOSE NOW TWENTY EIGHT YEARS
OLD. THIS A PICTURE OF HER WHEN
SHE WAS YOUNGER. SORRY WRONG
PICTURE. LOOK AT THAT ONE LATER
ANYWAY I'M HERE BASICALLY
BECAUSE I AFTER MY DAUGHTER WAS
BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY BACK
IN THE EARLY NINETIES MY FAMILY
WAS LITERALLY SAVED BY THE
EARLY START PROGRAM PILOT THE
CALIFORNIA I HAD A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT LIFE THAN THE THINGS
I LIKE TO POINT TO AS A BENEFIT
OF THE EARLY START PROGRAM
TODAY TWENTY SOMETHING YEARS
LATER NUMBER ONE MY FAMILY IS
TOGETHER MY WIFE AND I. ARE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY CARING FOR MY
DAUGHTER BECAUSE AS AN ADULT
SHE NEEDS TO LIVE IN A SAFE
PLACE SO WE'RE WILLING TO DO
THAT. NOW WHERE DID WE- BEGIN
TO LEARN ABOUT THAT IN THE
EARLY START PROGRAM. WHEN MY
DAUGHTER WAS BORN MY WIFE WAS
DEVASTATED I WHICH SHOCKED. BUT
I DID WHAT MOST MEN DID I TRIED
TO CARRY ON THE PAST I COULDN'T
KEEP HOPE. FORTUNATELY WE WERE
REFERRED TO AN EARLY START
PROGRAM. THERE REALLY SAVED OUR
LIVES SAVE MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE
IN MANY INSTANCES. JUMP FORWARD
SEVERAL YEARS I BEGAN WORKING
AS A PARENT AND AS A FATHER'S
ADVOCATE AND I BECAME. A FAMILY
SUPPORT SPECIALIST WITH THE AN
EARLY START CAMERA RESOURCE
CENTER RIGHT HERE IN SACRAMENTO
AND EVENTUALLY I BECAME THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WARM
LINE TEN RESOURCE CENTER. I'M
HERE TO SAY THAT IN THE LAST
TWENTY YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN
LOTS OF CHANGES. TO THE EARLY
START PROGRAM ESPECIALLY SINCE
TWENTY OH NINE ONE THING I
WOULD POINT TO THAT I THINK IS
VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING
FOR FAMILIES. IS HAVING TO
FIND. ACT INSURANCE ACCESS FOR
NEEDED THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
THAT CAME IN IN TWENTY TEN AND
I WOULD STAY STRONG AND I THINK
THAT HINDERS. FAMILIES IT KEEPS
THEM. IT TAKES TOO MUCH ENERGY
ON WARRIOR AWAY FROM THE
IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THEY HAVE
TO DO. I WILL BE BACK TO
TESTIFY AGAIN AND TO
PARTICIPATE IN THESE HEARINGS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME
TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY
EMPLOYEES INVEST MORE IN EARLY
START SO THAT FAMILIES WILL BE
TOGETHER JUST LIKE MINE IS
TODAY. THANK YOU THANK YOU
THANKS. FOR SHARING YOUR
PERSONAL STORIES WELL. THIS ALL
TESTIMONY. I THINK I GET TO BE
THE FIRST TO SAY GOOD AFTERNOON
TECHNICALLY. MY NAME IS
JENNIFER TAKE CARD SOME WITH
THE WEST AND CENTER FOR
PREVENTION AND EARLY
INTERVENTION. AND I THINK A LOT
OF THE TESTIMONY OF HER TODAY
HAS BEEN FROM A FEW DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES THE PARENT
PERSPECTIVE SUPER IMPORTANT
MOST IMPORTANT. AND ALSO
HEARING FROM THE PROVIDERS AND
PROGRAMS I'M COMING FROM A
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
WE ARE CONTRACTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL
SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA TO CARRY
OUT THE COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM A
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. EVERY
STATE HAS TO HAVE ONE ACCORDING
TO IDC A PART SEAT LAW. AND SO
IN CALIFORNIA THAT IS DONE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH DEPARTMENT OF
DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES WHO AT
HAS A CONTRACT WITH US TO CARRY
THAT OUT WE ALSO PARTNER
CLOSELY WITH CD BECAUSE OF THIS
SORT OF. TWO PART SYSTEM AND I
JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE
OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE
DEVELOPED UNDER THIS CONTRACT
WITH DDS. SUCH AS WE HAVE IT A
FREE ONLINE COURSE SYSTEM THAT
IS ALL ABOUT THE BASICS OF
EARLY START SO I WOULD HIGHLY
ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO LOOK
INTO THIS AS A AS A POTENTIAL
RESOURCE BECAUSE- THIS SYSTEM
IS COMPLICATED THERE'S A LOT
GOING ON THERE I'VE HEARD. BITS
AND PIECES OF IT AND I THINK
THAT THE SOLUTION TO ALL THESE
PROBLEMS IS GOING TO BE. NOT
ONLY YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE
AWARENESS OF WHAT IS PART OF
THE SYSTEM WE ACTUALLY HAVE
ONLINE COURSES I CAN HELP SORT
OF. OUT OF WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING
ON THERE THE FAMILY RESOURCE
CENTER HOW DID THEY PLAY A PART
IN THE EARLY START SYSTEM. AND
I'M JUST A VARIETY OF RESOURCES
THAT WE HAVE I THINK WILL
REALLY HELP JUST FORM THE BASIC
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS EARLY
START AND WHAT DO WE HAVE TO
WORK WITH. BUT THEN ALSO YOU
KNOW LOOKING AT THAT SYSTEM A
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF
THE SOLUTION HERE. WE DO HAVE
TRAININGS FOR PROVIDERS AND WE
DO HAVE TRAININGS AND ON FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT AND BEST PRACTICES.
SO HOW CAN THAT PLAY A PART IN
THE SOLUTIONS TO COME. THANK
YOU THANK YOU ADDITIONAL
TESTIMONY. HELLO I'M TERRACE
SIZE MORE HESTER AND I'M AN
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT VALLEY
MOUNT REGIONAL CENTER OVERSEE
EARLY START SERVICES I'M HERE
TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF
ISSUES ONE AS OUR CASELOAD
RATIOS ACROSS THE STATE ARE NOT
GOOD AND IN A IN ORDER TO
PROVIDE SERVICES I AM TWO
CHILDREN AN EARLY START WHICH I
THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING THAT REGIONAL CENTERS DO
AT THE SECOND ISSUE THAT WE
HAVE IN OUR AREA AND I THINK
IT'S ACROSS THE STATE ALSO IS.
PROVIDER RATES WERE LOSING
PROVIDERS BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T
HAD INCREASES AND SEVEN YEARS
SEVEN AND A COUPLE OF DECADES
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO HOT TOPICS
THAT I THINK THAT ARE VERY
IMPORTANT IN THIS ENTIRE. ISSUE
THANK YOU THANK YOU. HEARING
AND SEEING A MORE PUBLIC
COMMENT ON BRING IT BACK TO THE
DíAS. LET ME JUST SAY I WANT
TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING
HERE TODAY IS A VERY IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION IT'S ONE OF. MANY
DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE TO
HAVE YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THE
TESTIMONY OF BREAKING DOWN
BARRIERS AND SILOS. I THINK
IT'S ONLY THROUGH AN INTEGRATED
APPROACH THAT WERE REALLY GOING
TO HOLISTICALLY HELP FAMILIES
IN THESE CHILDREN. WE GET WEIRD.
FROM THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS AS
WELL SOME OF THE WORK THAT
THEY'VE DONE ON THE BLUE RIBBON
COMMISSION AND SOME OF THE
FINDINGS THERE. I THINK FROM
EACH EVEN ALL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT IS THE NEED FOR
RESOURCES THEY NEED TO TACKLE
THIS. I THERE IS PROBABLY NO
PERFECT WAY TO TACKLE IT SO I
GET THE PRIORITIES BUT- MAYBE.
DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY BECOME
AVAILABLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES
AND MAYBE THAT'S HOW WE JUST
START TACKLING IT FROM EVERY
ANGLE THAT WE CAN. BUT IT
TRYING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE
PARENTS THAT ARE DEALING WITH
THIS AND THE STUDENTS. AS I
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND I
KNOW THAT SOMETHING THAT. ME
AND MY TEAM IN THIS COMMITTEE
WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT I KNOW
THERE'S AT LEAST THREE. BILLS
THAT ARE PENDING. BEFORE THE
LEGISLATURE HELPING ADDRESS
SOME OF THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED
IN THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
AND SOME OF THE ISSUES
IDENTIFIED HERE TODAY. THOSE
ARE PROBABLY PIECES OF
LEGISLATION AND I WILL BE
LOOKING AT AS WELL. THE D.
DISCUSSIONS ON THE- MONEY
ALLOCATION FOR DDS SERVICES IN
GENERAL I KNOW WAS A BIG. POINT
OF DISCUSSION DURING THE MAY
REVISE THAN ALTERNATELY RIGHT
BEFORE THE BUDGET WAS SIDE BUT
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW A
LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW IN OUR
CAUCUS AS WELL OR DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
BROUGHT UP AS A PRIORITY.
CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WILL
CONTINUE ON THOSE FIGHTS AND
CONTINUE TO PUSH AT THE
GOVERNOR AND LEADERSHIP AND
EVERYONE IN BOTH HOUSES. TO
MOVE US TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE
STARTING TO ADD. ADD MORE
SERVICES SOMETHING WE'RE WE'RE
STILL TRYING TO RECOVER OF WE
SOME PEOPLE YESTERDAY WERE
CALLING IT THE GREAT RECESSION.
DURING THE EIGHT OH NINE TEN
YEARS. SEVEN EIGHT NINE YEARS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE
CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR I DO WANT
TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT. YOU
KNOW MY OFFICE IS DEFINITELY
WANTS TO BE AN ADVOCATE AS WELL
AND HELP. WITH THE LEGISLATIO
AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD
IDAHO I THANK MY STAFFER
ERRAND. OF LEAD TO UPSET UP
TODAY'S THING AND HE'LL BE
FOLLOWING UP ON A NUMBER OF
MAYBE SOME LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSALS AS WE CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD TO TRY TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE HELP. I DO WHAT I
THINK HOST FINA. AND THAT'S BY
A FROM CHILDREN NOW WHO HELPED
ACTUALLY REACH OUT EARLY ON TO
HELP. SET UP THIS INITIAL
HEARING SO THANK YOU WITH THAT.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE MEMBERS HAD
ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A
MANDATORY. CAUCUS MEETING THAT
WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT ABOUT
HALF AN HOUR AGO. SO THAT'S WHY
THEY THEY LAUGHED BUT WITH THAT
WILL CONCLUDE THIS HEARING I
WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR
THEIR ADVOCACY AND. FOR THEIR
WORK. SO WITH THAT THIS MEETING
IS ADJOURNED