DENVER — Colorado officials are pausing planned service cuts to a state program that provides critical services to vulnerable children.
The Early Intervention (EI) program supports children from birth through age 3 who have disabilities or developmental delays. It receives funding from the state and federal governments, as well as private insurance.
Citing a budget shortfall, the state said on Tuesday it would no longer fund supplemental programs for children on Medicaid, and only Medicaid-covered services will continue. Children would also be limited to four hours of care a month in their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
The cuts were set to begin on Monday. However, in an email late Friday afternoon, Lenita Hartman, the acting manager of the Early Intervention program, said the cuts are paused "until further notice."
“Effective immediately, we are advising providers to pause all cost containment strategies until further notice,” Hartman wrote. “We are actively working with the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) to explore potential solutions, taking into consideration the concerns that have been raised.”
Hartman said providers could expect “an update with more detailed next steps by the end of the day on Monday or early next week.”
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood, which oversees the EI program, said it was grateful for the action and willingness of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) to explore potential solutions.
“The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) is committed to providing high-quality services for children and families, while identifying responsible cost-containment steps given the difficult state budget environment,” the department said in a statement late Friday.
State
Colorado cutting funding for care of babies, toddlers with developmental needs
News of potential cuts upset parents and providers alike.
Representatives from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood appeared before the Joint Budget Committee on Thursday to explain why the changes it planned were necessary.
Jeanni Stefanik, the department’s chief financial officer, said the department discovered a budget shortfall a few weeks ago, citing a growing caseload, COVID-19 funding expiring, and fewer kids eligible for Medicaid.
“It’s all come together to create this perfect storm,” said Stefanik.
State Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, who sits on the committee, said news of the budget shortfall caught lawmakers off guard.
"We were all surprised by that,” said Amabile. “Telling people three days before something happens…that's not good planning, and that's really not acceptable.”
Amabile said lawmakers are working on a bill to get the department the funding it needs to finish out the fiscal year. It's welcomed news to parents and providers like Katelyn Knox.
"I have no doubts that they will do their absolute best to make sure that this happens,” said Knox.
Amabile said she expected a bill to be introduced on Monday.
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