Alright – so, Minnesota Autism Center (MAC) which is arguably the biggest ABA therapy agency in Minnesota, and probably the worst in how autism families are treated based on my experience with them and opinion has expanded their fake ABA school program. They have added more kids in their Eagan location. Let’s put this into perspective, this is not a private school because no parent pays one dime for it. It is not a public school because the Minnesota Department of Education does not give them one dime. It is a fake ABA school that is funded by Medicaid through Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).
Medicaid does not and should not cover educational services, according to DHS but for some reason – this fake school keeps getting millions of dollars from medical assistance via DHS. Why is DHS doing this and what are they doing about it? In one word – nothing. The why is what puzzles me. Let’s remember DHS goes after minority owned agencies if they sneeze the wrong way, but when it comes to WASP owned agencies, they nap, sleep, ignore, pretend to not see or hear. I wonder why that is. Institutional racism? well – as the saying goes “if it looks like a duck, acts like a duck it is a DUCK”.
I have been trying consistently and persistently to get DHS to treat all autism therapy agencies fairly to no success thus far. Their reasoning for not auditing or looking into the fake MAC school is probably in my opinion and many others in the autism community fake in itself. “we don’t have proof”. But you have an abundant amount of suspicion, so audit this fake school. My favorite other reason from DHS is “it is a complex and complicated issue”. Are you bleeping kidding me. When God forbid, a Somali day care agency does anything wrong, you are on them like white on rice and faster than a New York minute, but for MAC – it is complicated. Come on DHS. We are not buying this fake reason.
According to DHS “Medicaid does not cover services that include or replace academic goals that are otherwise included in the person’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (FSP), as required under the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004”. This includes math, reading, writing or any educational services that are and should be covered by the child’s education plan.
Nevertheless, these items are exactly what the fake MAC school is teaching. My advice to Commissioner Piper and Assistant Commissioner Wilson – audit this MAC fake school that is being funded by Medicaid when it should not be. Interview current and previous employees who are told to provide education but write medical in their progress notes. Interview families who think they take their children to a free private school that they pay nothing for and are told Medicaid covers education, you know it does not. Visit this fake school and see it for yourself. Treat MAC as you treat all of the Somali day care centers and protect these vulnerable autistic kids and their families.
DHS – this is your responsibility and obligation to protect individuals with disabilities which includes autism.
Above words do not represent any committee, agency or candidate.
Idil – autism mom and advocate