Unexpected Delivery

Posted by Dad Enough

Here in Maryland, we have this wonderful thing called LISS, otherwise known as Low Intensity Support Services. I’ve written about it before – LISS is a means for people with disabilities to receive funding for items not covered by insurance. This year, Maryland lowered the limit to $2000 (from $3000) to cover more individuals, and there are now two lotteries for coverage – one in July and one in January – instead of a first-come-first-served system in July.

The problem, despite this seemingly more fair system… is that none of us know what in Heaven’s name is going on. Continue reading →

Extending the LISS Lifeline

Posted by Dad Enough

After the debacle that was the LISS funding process this year, the state of Maryland conducted a survey to talk about how the program could be improved (shy of, say, giving LISS more money).

For those readers who don’t remember – LISS, or Low Intensity Support Services, is the program that gives funding to individuals coping with disabilities to cover things that are not covered by insurance. For us, this can include the Monster’s summer camp, or his adaptive gymnastics at Rebounders, or music therapy, or the like. Continue reading →

Paying for Autism

Posted by Dad Enough

A couple of weeks ago, back on July 1st, the new fiscal year began in Maryland, which meant that applications for Low Intensity Support Services opened for funding for FY2014.

By the end of the first day, Southern Maryland was done accepting applications for the year. Where we live, in Central Maryland, the wife went into a panic when she was warned a week later that applications would shortly be closing for our area due to similar demand. (She actually drove the forty minutes each way to hand-deliver our application so it would be there before the newly-imposed July 15th deadline. LISS does not permit applications to be sent by fax or email – they have to be hand-delivered or sent via US Postal Mail.) And we’ve come to the conclusion that we’re likely not to get any LISS funding for FY2014. Continue reading →

Bouncing Off Walls

Posted by Dad Enough

Tomorrow is the Monster’s gymnastics day, one of his favorite activities that’s going to soon be coming to a temporary end as the school year moves into the summer camp period.

It’s not a lack of money that’s going to be ending his time at gymnastics for now, but really just a lack of time – we don’t know how it’s going to work, getting him from the camp bus to the gymnastics center, what his energy level’s going to be, and so it’s better in our minds to hold off until the fall. Continue reading →

Boing

Posted by Dad Enough

When we had the initial IEP meeting a little over nine months ago, one of the biggest changes was the removal of the Monster’s physical therapy.

According to the reports, he didn’t need any further physical therapy – the schools are primarily concerned with his ability to walk normally, ascend and descend stairs, and handle himself with his class at a ‘reasonable pace’. The fact that he’s still clearly delayed, because he doesn’t ascend or descend stairs with alternating motion, doesn’t seem to factor in to the decision, and despite our best efforts to keep it in the plan, the schools put their collective foot down. Continue reading →

Boing Boing Boing

Posted by Dad Enough

When the Monster had his IEP meeting a few months ago, one of his providers had recommended an end to his physical therapy.

Now, he’s hardly uncoordinated or a threat to himself when navigating around. The boy does like to run, and he’s got decent motion even on uneven ground. Our major protest was the fact that he’s still not doing some of the age-appropriate behaviors, like switching feet while ascending/descending stairs. Continue reading →