Special Child Health Services

The responsibility to identify, locate, and evaluate children suspected of having a disability, also known as “Child Find” activities, extends even to those students who are advancing from grade to grade. N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1.1(b)(3). The simple fact that a child is meeting their requirements for grade promotion does not disqualify them from eligibility.

A child is eligible for special education and related services if they:

1. Have a disability defined in N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.5(c)1-14 (autism is one of the defined classifications of disability under the code),
2. That disability affects the child’s educational performance, and
3. The child needs special education and related services.

After a parent refers their child for special education and related services, the school district must make a determination of eligibility and provide that determination in writing to the parent. If the parent disagrees with that determination, the inquiry doesn’t need to end there. They are not required to simply accept the school district’s position. Instead, the parent can request mediation or a due process hearing to resolve the dispute over their child’s eligibility.

The New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) chapter on student residency has a section titled Proof of Eligibility (6A:22-3.4), which sets out the list of documents that they must accept from a parent or caregiver attempting to demonstrate a student’s eligibility for enrollment. Those documents include medical reports, counselor or social worker assessments, employment documents, unemployment claims, receipts, bills, cancelled checks, and insurance claims or payments.

Many of these alternate documents may be easier for your clients to produce than a lease or a letter from a landlord, especially if they are facing housing insecurity or have informal living arrangements.

Case managers might also have some success by looking at the camps listed on the website of the American Camping Association (ACA). Using the ACA website, you can filter by the type of camps, cost, length of stay, or location.

Alternatively, case managers might also find recreation opportunities, camps, and swimming lessons for their clients by exploring resources at the local level. Some excellent options to keep in mind are neighborhood community centers and county- or city-specific social media groups.

Unfortunately for families searching at the last minute, summer camps may be full, and their options may be limited. If a family is seeking help finding something to help occupy their child during the summer months, case managers may also want to provide the following childcare options to their clients:

• The searchable online database of state-licensed childcare centers created by the NJ Department of Children and Families 
• Childcare resources compiled by Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)  

It is important note that these summer camps, recreation programs, and childcare providers are for reference purposes only. Autism New Jersey does not recommend any specific provider and cannot guarantee the quality of available services or care.

You can learn more about ABA therapy by visiting our articles on ABA therapy:

• What to Look for in a Behavior Analyst
• ABA in Action
• Applied Behavior Analysis 101
• Functional Behavior Assessment FAQ

We will soon be launching an insurance/ABA hub. In the meantime, you can view our web content on insurance and Medicaid by following these links:

• Insurance Articles
• Medicaid Articles

Both the IDEA and N.J.A.C. prohibit suspension of a student with a disability for more than 10 school days without conducting a manifestation determination review. Those 10 days can either be consecutive or cumulative, which is to say that a series of short-term suspensions that add up to 10 days of removal from school should trigger a manifestation determination review. As a general practice, if a school tries to get a parent to pick up their child from school because of behavioral challenges, the parent should clarify whether the school is suspending the child. If the school indicates that it is not, then the parent should leave the child in school (assuming there are no other reasons for the parent to pick up that child).

At a manifestation determination meeting, the school must examine whether the behaviors for which the school seeks suspension are a manifestation of the child’s disability. If they were, then the school must immediately conduct a functional behavior assessment, implement a behavior intervention plan, and return the child to the educational placement from which they were removed. For more information, you can refer to the following two articles:

• School Discipline and Students With Autism
• Functional Behavior Assessment FAQ

While our ASDSS relationship was initiated to allow us to serve as a resource to SCHS case managers who want to learn more about special education and school services, we frequently answer questions from case managers on a variety of topics. Our compassionate and knowledgeable team members are experts on New Jersey resources and service systems, and case managers can call to learn more about early intervention, special education, state-funded services, adult services, insurance coverage, and how they intersect for families facing challenges due to language barriers or immigration status.

We also frequently receive direct referrals from SCHS case managers that encourage their Spanish-speaking clients to contact our helpline team. We can accommodate Spanish-language calls to our 800.4.AUTISM Helpline or emails to our information inbox.

Case managers can also access a variety of Spanish-language resources by using the translation widget found in the bottom left-hand corner of any page on our website or by clicking the following links:

• Autismo: Comience Aquí Lo Que Las Familias Necesitan Saber
• El Recorrido para Acceder a la Vivienda en la Comunidad con Apoyo Una

The following links may also be helpful:

• Child Care Resources
• DOH – Division of Family Development
• Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies
• Care.com – Some parents have used this resource for childcare. Parents can request someone with experience with special needs.

It’s important note that these childcare providers are for reference purposes only. Autism New Jersey does not recommend any specific provider and cannot guarantee the quality of available care.

Parents and caregivers may also want to have a copy of our Respite Guide handy when speaking with childcare providers. We have outlined a few sections that may help serve as talking points when having this delicate conversation with potential childcare providers. Clicking that link will start an automatic download of a PDF copy of Individualized Respite Care Guide: A Resource for Families and Professionals

N.J.A.C. 6A:27-5 states, “Students with disabilities who have been determined to be eligible for special education and related services pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.5 or 3.6 shall be provided with transportation in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1 et seq., and with their individualized education program (IEP).

1. The district board of education shall provide transportation as required in the IEP. Such services may include, but are not limited to, special transportation equipment, transportation aides, and special arrangements for other assistance to and from school.”

N.J.A.C. 6A:27 also states under the section titled Students who shall be transported, “District boards of education shall provide transportation to public school students who reside remote from their assigned school of attendance, nonpublic school students who reside remote from their school of attendance and meet the eligibility criteria of N.J.A.C. 2 6A:27-2.2, and students with disabilities who reside remote from their assigned school or who require transportation services in accordance with their individualized education program (IEP).”

Split-application Medicaid, also known as Medicaid coverage obtained through a “companion case,” is a form of NJ FamilyCare coverage that is available in limited circumstances to some families who exceed the NJ FamilyCare income thresholds. You can learn more about how split-application Medicaid works by reading this article on our website.

Unfortunately, while split-application Medicaid allows families to deem their income to their neurotypical child in order to secure NJ FamilyCare coverage for their autistic child, they may still be found ineligible if their assets exceed a certain level. The asset limit for the NJ FamilyCare Aged, Blind, and Disabled program was set at $4,000 for 2024.

Families struggling with medical bills and copays for autism treatment may still be able to get help by contacting the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund (CICRF) or by adding a child only health plan to their existing coverage.

Parents can use these assessments to figure out their child’s strengths and their area of greatest need. They can then use the results of the assessments to structure their homeschooling program to address those needs.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of assessments that can be used for this purpose:

• Assessment of Functional Living Skills (AFLS)
• Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills, Revised (ABLLS-R)
• Promoting Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK)
• Essential for Living (EFL)

The family can either try to administer the assessment themselves or work with a treatment provider to carry it out in a more formal setting. A word of caution, though, is that this can be a lot of work for the family. Building a homeschool curriculum is hard and carrying it out properly can brings its own challenges.