Yuma families worried about developmentally disabled services

The state is changing the way it compensates therapists for providing services to the developmentally disabled in the hope of encouraging more professionals to locate in the communities they serve.

This has families in the Yuma area concerned their children will be left without services they need to become more self-sufficient.

Among them is Sharon Stogner, whose 11-year-old autistic son had just begun receiving therapy on the use of a computer to communicate after being on the waiting list for a long time.

"It's critical for young children to get the therapy as soon as possible," Stogner said, adding that therapy services are essential if developmentally disabled children are to become productive.

So she was distressed to hear that the state's Division of Developmental Disabilities was switching to a tier system of compensation for therapists that would significantly reduce the pay for them to come to Yuma and the possibility that services would no longer be offered here.

Stogner encourages all families of the developmentally disabled to attend a meeting with therapy providers and state officials to express their concerns. She estimates there are 300 families in the Yuma area who could be impacted and many others who currently are not receiving services.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Saguaro Foundation, 1495 S. 4th Ave.

In the meantime, Barbara Brent, assistant director for the Division of Developmental Disabilities, has offered assurance that the state will do what it can to ensure the continuation of services. She said the deadline for the transition scheduled for Thursday has been delayed until Jan. 1, and that provisions are being made to keep services at existing levels for up to six months after that or until local therapists can be recruited.

"This allows time for the transition," she said of the decision last week to extend the deadline. "We won't be dropping it tomorrow. We really hope (the provider) companies will be able to attract someone," she said.

"We feel this is a viable option to see if we can build local capacity while keeping services in place," Brent said. "If it doesn't work, we will reassess the situation."

She said the change was instituted because the current rate system is based on the therapists' travel time, therefore offering no incentive for them to live in the communities they serve. "How do we attract therapists to Yuma when the pay is the lowest amount for local providers?"

In addition, Brent said, hours spent on the road traveling are taking away time therapists could be helping additional clients.

Karen Rice, co-owner with her husband of Arcadia Therapy Services, said the Yuma area would be one of the hardest hit in the state by the planned payment change. Arcadia provides physical, speech and occupational therapy services for 150 families in the Yuma area.

"(Yuma) should be at the highest rate because there are few if any local providers," she said. "There would be a 45 percent cut in pay for therapists who come to Yuma."

Rice said she agrees with the state's goal of trying to encourage local providers, but added that companies need time to prepare for the change and meet the challenges of attracting health-care professionals to outlying areas of the state. She suggested that families can help by forming a strong advocacy group.

For more information about the state's plans, families can call the Division of Developmental Disabilities at 1-602-542-6857.

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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.