With autism on the rise and public funding on the decline for a whole host of medical and educational services, the Legislature recently made the right decision standing up for children with special needs.

Maine lawmakers vetoed Gov. Paul LePage’s decision to cut MaineCare services to special-needs children in the state’s schools.

The Senate voted 35-0 last week, following a House vote of 124-16, to restore funding for medically necessary services to children in school.

The program, run through MaineCare, used to be entirely funded by the federal government, but it was phased out about three years ago. Restoration of the program funding here would help schools pay for speech therapists and psychologists as well as transportation and nursing services.

These services are more than necessary for the development of the many children now being diagnosed ”“ and the many in the future to be diagnosed ”“ with autism, Asperger syndrome and other disorders. According to a report released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of these disorders has increased by more than 20 percent from 2006 to 2008.

The report estimates, in 2008, one in every 88 children received a diagnoses of an autism spectrum disorder by age 8. The estimated rate in 2002 was about one in 155.

It is clear that autism and other disorders are on the rise, and although many children may have the diagnosis, their symptoms vary widely ”“ from being nonverbal to being socially awkward. Services they receive in their early elementary education ”“ and before kindergarten, in programs supported by the state ”“ can mean a major difference in children’s ability to learn later in life and become a productive, well-adjusted adult.

Cutting funds for these services would have been extremely detrimental to the children who need the services offered by speech therapists and psychologists. The money invested in these ever-important developing years will be well worth the cost if children are able to partake in regular classrooms with their peers, opposed to special programs or separate classrooms if those students do not make the progress necessary to move on.

Gov. LePage’s assault on MaineCare and other social services is likely to continue, but as long as legislators have the courage to stand up for what’s right and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, services like these can be preserved and continue on for the benefit of future generations.

Following the Senate vote, Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello, R-Poland, summed it up: “Kids come first. We have to address their health.”

We agree.

Ӣ Ӣ Ӣ

Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.