Because of protests, the state Department of Education is pulling in the reins on the awarding of contracts to private agencies that serve autistic children, the state schools superintendent said. State delays private contracts
for care of autistic childrenProtests from parents prompt
the DOE to reconsider the processBy Crystal Kua
ckua@starbulletin.com"The (request for proposals) is no longer valid because we're withdrawing it," schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said.
That means, at least for now, parents with autistic children will not see changes in services they currently have.
"This is the right step in the right direction," said Laura Cook, who is the parent of an autistic child and the president of the Hawaii Autism Resource Team.
But the department hopes to put contracted services in place by July 1, 2003, through a new request for proposals that will be issued in the fall.
Beginning July 1, the Department of Education assumes responsibility from the Department of Health for delivering services to autistic children as part of the Felix consent decree, the 1994 court order in a lawsuit aimed at bringing the state into compliance with federal law.
As part of the autism program's transfer, the department put out a request for proposals to agencies to provide services to autistic children.
The Department of Education then named the agencies with the winning proposals to provide contracted services.
Alakai Na Keiki was named to be the primary service provider on Oahu, in Kona and on Kauai, and Child and Family Services on Maui.
But other agencies filed protests, leaving the resolution of the awarding of the contract in limbo. Officials would not give the specifics of the protests.
"Legally, we cannot do anything until the final decision is rendered. We do not know when a decision would be made," Hamamoto said. "We didn't want to disrupt services to children, so the most prudent thing was to withdraw the RFP."
Cook said parents continue to have concerns over the autism transition and the contracting of services.
"Parents will be happy with the services that are provided when there is full parent participation in the process and the delivery of services," Cook said.
Hamamoto, however, said she did not see the letter until after her decision was made.
Linda Hufano, executive director of Alakai Na Keiki, did not know about the request for proposals being withdrawn until told by a reporter.
"We're disappointed," said Hufano. "We did understand we were successful in obtaining the award."
Hufano said that even though she does not know the contents of the protests, she has seen the letter written by the parents of autistic children, and she believes that their concerns are based on misconceptions or misunderstanding of the agency's practices.
"I think the major goal of our agency is to provide services," Hufano said. "I do believe we provide very good services."
State Department of Education
