Cuts to CRS Funding

From an action alert by Raising Special Kids

Due to recent budget cuts at the Department of Health Services, 1,200 children with serious health conditions will be removed from coverage in Children's Rehabilitative Services or CRS. The elimination affects children who are not eligible for Medicaid or ALTCS. Families will become responsible for 100% of the costs of care, even though most have no other health insurance.

CRS provides health coverage to "chronically ill or physically disabled children" under twenty-one years of age, with a primary diagnosis of a severe physical condition that may require ongoing, medical or surgical intervention.
Children are eligible for the CRS program based on specific medical diagnoses, such as Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia, Metabolic Disorders, Spina Bifida, Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate, and Congenital Heart Anomalies

Without CRS coverage, many of these children will experience life-threatening conditions from not receiving medications that keep them out of the ER and hospital. Children with serious illnesses will not receive needed surgeries which may lead to increasing disability and in some cases, preventable deaths.
State budget cuts will affect the lives, health, and safety of children in many ways and throughout all systems of care.
Governor Brewer has 18 days left to request $185 million in federal stimulus funds available for Arizona. We can correct this situation by using stimulus funding to restore coverage for CRS:

Please ask Gov. Brewer to request Arizona's stimulus funds before it is too late.

Mailing address: EMAIL: http://azgovernor. gov/Contact. asp

The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Telephone (602) 542-4331 Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883

These cuts continue to cut deeper and deeper into groups that can ill afford it. Please, please call, e-mail, or write to let Gov. Brewer know that these cuts are hurting families and children.
If this change will present financial hardships for your family you should contact your service coordinator/ support coordinator and ask them to reconvene your IFSP team to assist you in identifying another service provider who will not present such a financial hardship.