Outside Funding 

Several federal laws require that funds and/or services be provided to help neurodiverse people access more opportunities with the neurotypical community. 

Open the Lid is working to meet the common criteria listed in most states in order to break down cost barriers for those who qualify.

TYPES OF FUNDING

State Funding for People with Developmental Disabilities 
Every state has an agency that offers Developmental Disabilities Services. Find your state’s office by following this link: www.nasddds.org/state-agencies/ 

Note that each state’s funding can vary in many ways, including: 

  • The way you can spend it. 
  • How much you get.
  • The speed in which you can access it.
  • The qualification process.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA)

  • Through local school districts.
  • Includes potential supplemental service of parent training and counseling. 
  • For parents of children who receive IEP services for children with more intensive needs. 

Supreme Court’s 2017 Ruling in Endrew F. v. Douglas County 

The Court said that schools must provide an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that is “reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress (in his/her education) appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances. 

The key word here is progressing. If the learner is maintaining and not progressing, the learner and their family should work with the school district to develop programming and tools to support progress. Open the Lid can help create that plan where needed.

OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
(New York State)

Open the Lid 's Group Empowerment Classes and Individual Empowerment Classes may be approved through OPWDD self-direction funding as a “community classes."

  1. Accessible and targeted to the whole population (neuro typical and neuro diverse)
  2. Community based
  3. Publically available
  4. Cost must be stated
  5. Can’t be above the typical cost for equivalent services. 
  6. Must be live. 
  7. Must be interactive.

A community setting is considered “integrated” if all of these four criteria are met: 

  • The setting and class is open to the broader community 
  • The setting is not certified by OPWDD 
  • The setting results in interactions with other participants who do not have an intellectual or developmental disability (see note below regarding private lessons) 
  • The class is not being run by OPWDD or provider agency staff who are acting in their official capacities.

In determining if a community class meets the standard of being “available to the general public,” the following five questions should be asked: 

  • Is it taught by staff or run by an agency that provides OPWDD services to people with I/DD? (No) 
  • Is it located on the grounds where OPWDD services for people with I/DD are normally provided? (No) 
  • Is it open to the public? (Yes) 
  • Does it have published fees? (Yes) 
  • Are people who are not OPWDD eligible going to the class (in this case, parents and staff do not count)? (Yes) 

Please click here to download our brochure addressing these criteria. This brochure may be used to assist you in obtaining funding in your area. If there are additional criteria not listed that must be met in order for you to qualify for federally mandated funds, please contact us.

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