Take Action Now Against Warrantless Wiretapping!
The Senate is considering a bill that would legalize the National Security Administration’s (NSA) warrantless wiretapping program. The National Security Surveillance Act of 2006, S. 2453, would seriously jeopardize the civil liberties of ordinary Americans and threaten the checks and balances of our government by expanding the domestic surveillance powers of the President. Take action now!
Notice of Changes in Cost Sharing for Early Intervention
More Cost than Income
By Nancy Porter
Does this matter? It matters a lot! Early intervention is a statewide system of services for infants and toddlers (birth to age three) with developmental delays or disabilities. By now you may have heard about the proposed changes to New Jersey's early intervention system. Starting in January in our area, families will be paying for early intervention services on a sliding scale. The state will no longer provide two hours of service per week at no charge. How families are billed and the way costs are passed down are some of the topics under discussion. We are concerned that New Jersey's most vulnerable population may receive fewer critical services.
The cost-sharing fee schedule needs to be carefully examined so that it doesn't drive families away from early intervention. The amount of income anticipated to be collected from parent fees is less than 5 percent of the total annual Early Intervention budget. Add to that fact the expenses of accounting and tracking hours and billing and it becomes obvious that costs will exceed the fees collected.
What you can do: Contact Parents for Early Intervention (609-430-0172) so you can be kept up to date on state developments. Be part of a group to increase awareness of the importance of early intervention. Future assistance could be in jeopardy. You can help protect future infants and toddlers with disabilities. Young children receiving appropriate therapies early on function better, and the result is cost savings down the road in special-education programs and management of behavior problems. $1 spent now in early intervention saves $7 in future costs.
Write to the goveronor and your elected officials in the Senate and Assembly.
For more information, feel free to call Parents for Early Intervention at 609-430-0172.
Thank you for thinking about this. A letter, fax or e-mail can make a real difference
