Congressman Jerry Moran learned more Thursday about Arrowhead West's sources of financial assistance, which include federal special-education funding as well as money from Medicaid.
He also learned about the impact on Arrowhead West of the State Children's Health Insurance Program and HealthWave. Both programs — SCHIP is a federal program, while HealthWave is state-level — expand health insurance coverage for children who would not otherwise be covered.
Moran said he had thought that SCHIP provided more financial assistance to Arrowhead West than it does.
"I thought it would be more valuable to you than it is," he said to Arrowhead West executive director Lori Pendergast. "But it sounds like there's great potential."
Pendergast said: "There is great potential, and it's great for the families that are the recipients of it. It just doesn't help us at this point."
Moran, who is seeking re-election in November, toured Arrowhead West's child services and life skills departments to learn more about the services that the agency provides for clients with developmental disabilities.
Arrowhead West receives funding from several sources, including special-education dollars under Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Other sources include Medicaid and various grants.
Between 25 percent and 30 percent of Arrowhead West's child clients are covered by HealthWave, but the agency cannot bill the program for its services. It can, however, bill Medicaid.
At one point, Moran said: "So does the issue that we've had in Congress about expanding HealthWave — expanding SCHIP — matter to you?"
Jennifer Tasset, an early interventionist and former child services manager, replied: "Absolutely. As long as when that's expanded on the state level, the program will recognize Part C services and allow us to bill for the therapies and the service. Because right now, through Medicaid, it's seen as a separate entity."
Pendergast added that the current arrangement is not costly for families who use Arrowhead West's services, because they will not be charged for those services. But it is expensive for the agency to provide those services.
Arrowhead West serves about 600 children annually through developmental screening clinics, which determine the agency is the appropriate place for children who need additional services. Between 150 and 200 children a year actually receive assistance from the agency.
The agency's child services department works with children from birth through age 2 with an identifiable physical or developmental disabilities. Its home-based infant-toddler intervention program helps parents enhance their child's development, encourage normal developmental patterns and aid with the transition to other programs if needed.
When they become eligible for preschool, they transfer to their local school district if they are still at risk for delayed development.
Tasset said many smaller communities served by Arrowhead West lack programs for developmentally disabled children for children age 3 or older.
"In many of the small communities out here, there's no one for us to collaborate with," she said. "And if the child's not eligible for our services, the family may have no services."
Tasset said the agency has emphasized the importance of investing more money in early childhood programs and launching new programs.
Reach Eric Swanson at (620) 408-9917 or e-mail him at eric.swanson@dodgeglobe.com.
