DENVER — Autism advocates and parents of children with autism continue to call on state officials and leaders to address funding issues that are driving autism service providers out of the state.
Dozens of people visited the Colorado State Capitol on Wednesday as representatives of the Medicaid program, known as the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance (HCPF), briefed state lawmakers before the Joint Budget Committee. This follows the withdrawal of Hopebridge Autism Therapy, one of the largest providers of applied behavior analysis (ABA) services, from Colorado earlier this summer.
local news
Center for Autistic Families pulls out of Colorado due to lack of needed funding
July 26, 2023, 6:35 p.m.
Carmen Peek, a Greeley mother of two young children with autism, called the situation a “crisis.”
Peek saw her oldest son make incredible progress through ABA last year, and was planning to get her second daughter started this year as well. Then, this summer, she received a letter from Hopebridge informing her that the service would no longer be available.
“It’s still heartbreaking that Hope Bridge closed, as if it was our choice to be there,” Peek said. “We didn’t expect that. That’s why it’s terrible. It’s terrible.”
In a statement this summer, Hopebridge blamed state funding rates for not keeping up with rising operating costs.
“We rely heavily on Colorado Medicaid reimbursement rates to cover the costs of our quality workforce, supplies and facilities,” HopeBridge’s statement said. “Medicaid reimbursement rates are typically lower than those of commercial payers, but in Colorado, these low rates are compounded by inflation and cost-of-living rates, which are lower than in other states serving the state. 20% higher…Hopebridge has been engaged in negotiations for stronger reimbursement for years without success in Colorado. We are withdrawing ABA therapy from Colorado at this time But we will never stop fighting for these children.”
Peek said she noticed regression, including an increase in behavior and language problems, among children who did not receive ABA services.
“My family and children have been affected,” she said.
Provider funding rates are set by the state Legislature through the budgeting process that occurs each year during the legislative session. However, a Joint Budget Committee (JBC) meeting was held on Wednesday, where a representative from HCPF addressed MPs about the situation. Peek and dozens of other parents and advocates visited the Capitol to make a visual appeal to lawmakers to provide the funding needed to keep Colorado’s remaining ABA providers open.
Ken Wynn, president of the Colorado Behavior Analysis Association, attended the meeting at the Capitol and has worked in the field for many years. He said Colorado is facing an emergency with the loss of autism care.
“We are seeing a waiting list of six to eight months, or even a year. [autism services]” Wynn said. “So this is only going to make the situation worse.”
Although no formal progress was made at the JBC meeting, both Wynne and Peek said lawmakers shared their concern and support for resolving the issue. But lawmakers cannot provide what is considered “additional funding” outside of a legislative session without a formal request from the executive branch. Wynn, Peek and other advocates are now calling on Gov. Jared Polis and the HCPF administrator to make this request instead of waiting for next year’s legislative session to ask for more funding.
In a statement to Denver7, an HCPF spokesperson said the agency believes the request does not meet the legal criteria for an emergency supplemental funding request and that “as part of the normal budget process,” providers will receive increased funding. He stated that he would continue to hold discussions towards this goal.
“Our priority is to ensure that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) have the services and supports they need to get back on their feet and thrive. to ensure access,” the statement said. “Our Medicaid directors have been meeting with families and health care providers this week to hear directly their concerns.”
A spokesperson for the governor’s office referred Denver 7 to HCPF for comment.
Peek feels lucky now. Just this week, she was able to arrange her in-home ABA care for her two children. But for other families still on the waiting list, she says a solution won’t come soon enough.
“It’s really, really important. Any kind of lapse is completely detrimental,” she said. “And that’s not okay.”
