Nassau County Preschool Special Education Services UNFAIR (insurance, daycare)

[speechgirl18]

This post is in response to many of you who live in Nassau County and have a preschool child with special needs, specifically speech and language needs. Many of you are faced with the difficult task of locating a speech-language pathologist to provide speech services to your child as prescribed by your school districts CPSE. Seems easy? Unfortunately, the outcome sounds all too familiar. "I have called everyone on the "list" and no one is available" or "there is no room for my child". Well, I think I may know why.

I am a speech-language pathologist working in Nassau County for over 20 years. Several years back, I was on the "list" as a provider of speech services for preschool children. After the birth of my own three children, it became necessary for me to stop working and to raise my family. However, recently, I contacted Nassau Country Dept for Special Needs children to regain a position on their list of service providers. I was told that they are no longer allowing speech pathologists who work privately to gain access to their list of service providers unless we belong to an agency (where our fees are then significantly divided) or unless we are an agency where multiple services are provided (OT, PT, speech, etc.).

I feel that this practice of not allowing speech pathologists in the private sector to gain access to their provider list is not only an unfair practice and completely bias, but it also significantly limits the number of speech pathologists to choose from when seeking a speech provider for your preschool child.

If I were a parent of a special needs child and having difficulty locating a speech provider, I would be up in arms over Nassau County's latest policies.

There are many of us out there looking to work and help your preschool child. Unfortunately, once again, it's the Nassau County Beaurocracy at work dictating policies that suit their own agenda, not the needs of preschool children in Nassau County. For those of you who do have a special needs preschool child and cannot locate a speech therapist, I am truly sorry. Good Luck.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by speechgirl18

recently, I contacted Nassau Country Dept for Special Needs children to regain a position on their list of service providers. I was told that they are no longer allowing speech pathologists who work privately to gain access to their list of service providers unless we belong to an agency (where our fees are then significantly divided) or unless we are an agency where multiple services are provided (OT, PT, speech, etc.).

I think that's messed up. What is their reasoning for rejecting independent contractors who can provide services? Maybe they had problems with some being irresponsible or not carrying liability insurance if necessary, etc., and decided they wanted to only work with agencies because of that. Beat them at their own game. Find out exactly how many "multiple services" are needed to be deemed an "agency" and then join forces with others who provide those services. Then each of you charge your own fees for your own cases and chip in for the expenses of having the business (liability insurance, office space if wanted, etc.).

[alexisot]

I am an OT practicing in Nassau. Fortunately, I became a direct provider some years ago, when individual therapists were accepted. It is not a panacea, unless you make yourself known to the CPSE chairs in local districts. The county list (given out by districts) does not seem to draw many referrals, as the therapists and agencies are an unknown entity to parents. The NC, DOH, CPSE Director informed me, this fall, that it is up to the School District to locate therapists, for the children they approve for Related services or SEIT. Each county has a Direction Center, DOH or the SD can provide their # . Their mission is to give information about finding services to parents. In NC there may be a conflict of interest as the Dir. Cent. is housed in a local agency, their director attends many of this agency's meetings. I hope this may help some of you finding the therapists, you need. By the way it is really up to the IEP and provider agency or the therapist provider, where they see the child: preschool, daycare, home or agency.

[Speakgood]

I, too have been on the county list for almost two decades, before there even was even a county list. Many changes have occurred during this time. I actually was not aware that they do not allow independents to enroll anymore. I have a feeling they are going to work to make it very hard for those are are independent to maintain that. The writing is on the wall. I used to be an independent contractor for EI as well, but then the big agencies took over, took all the caseloads, and essentially made it not at all worthwhile to continue as an independent contractor, so I opted out. I think it has become big business for these agencies. The attraction for the school district is that it is one-stop shopping, I suppose. I do not understand how an agency can both evaluate and provide service at the same time. Agencies are primarily interested in providing "bodies" and are not necessarily concerned about the quality of service.