89th Legislative Issues
Below are some of our top priorities during the 89th Texas Legislative Session. We are supporting (or opposing) numerous other issues and bills that have an impact on children and adults with Autism, as well as their loved ones and support people.
Community Attendant Wages
- Community Care Attendants need $19/hour (currently $10.60/hour) to be competitive with other hourly jobs and help eliminate the shortage of attendants.
- The wage rate at State Supported Living Centers and State Hospitals is $17.50/hour. At minimum, there should be parity in wages for Community Care Attendants with state employees doing comparable jobs.
- Low wages especially impact Autistic adults with high support needs who may require 24/7 care from an attendant.
- There is a severe shortage of attendants, making it difficult for families to hire help.
- HCS Waiver: Available for hiring attendants, but low pay means they are hard to find.
School Vouchers / Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)
- Take money from public schools, harming students who rely on them.
- Private schools are not required to provide disability services or accommodations as outlined under IDEA or 504
- More detail on ESAs can be found here “Understanding Education Savings Accounts or School Vouchers”
Improve Special Education Funding
- Fully fund Texas Public Schools, increase the basic allotment.
- Change the funding structure for Special Education. Texas currently funds students based on the “setting” or where they receive services, such as a self-contained classroom. This is an antiquated placement-based funding mechanism. We support the recommendation made by the Commission on Special Education Funding, in a report to the 88th Texas Legislature. The recommendation is to change funding for special education to an intensity-based system. This intensity-based system supports a student’s needs, regardless of where the services are delivered.
End Early Pick-Ups Bill (Representative Allen)
- HB 2292 prohibits schools from calling parents to pick up children due to behavior or discipline issues.
- Shadow Discipline: Schools should not repeatedly send kids home early; if they do, it should result in a change of placement.
- Parents can request a Behavioral Evaluation or a Behavior Intervention Plan if this happens.
Cell Phone Ban | HB 515 (Representative Troxclair)
- Currently restricts access to cell phones unless written consent from a medical professional to treat or manage a medical condition. (Might be too restrictive)
- AST doesn’t support a cell phone ban but would like provision to be included for individuals with ASD or other disabilities who utilize cell phones as part of assistive technology.
- Include things like use for AAC, Visual Planners, calendars and time management, voice to text note taking, recording lectures, etc.
ABA Medicaid Benefit
Increased Funding to Improve Provider Network
- Started in February 2022 after years of advocacy but offers low reimbursement rates to ABA therapy providers who take children who utilize Medicaid.
- Few providers accept Medicaid due to the complicated process to take Medicaid clients combined with low reimbursement rates.
- This has created long waitlists for ABA therapy for children utilizing Medicaid.
- More funding that would allow for higher reimbursement rates would expand the Medicaid provider network providing more access to families
Expanding Telehealth & including the ABA/Medicaid Benefit
Ensure children and teens with Autism in rural areas, or places without ABA providers who take Medicaid clients, have the option to utilize the Medicaid/ABA benefit via Telehealth.