General FAQs
What are Easter “seals”?
Easter “seals” are stamp-like seals that were first created in 1934 by the National Society for Crippled Children to raise money for services benefiting children with disabilities. The organization was re-named “Easterseals” in 1967 to reflect the campaign’s success in boosting public awareness for the disability community.
How can I volunteer?
Easterseals’ continued success in providing services to people with disabilities would not be possible without volunteers! Your time, energy, and heart enhance the services we provide and touch the lives of those we serve. Contact Breda Turner at bturner@eastersealsar.com to learn how you can volunteer today.
What age groups does Easterseals Arkansas serve?
All of them! From infancy into adulthood, we offer programs for every age group at every stage of life.
What does EIDT mean?
Early Intervention Day Treatment, which aims to provide coordinated, family-centered services to young people with disabilities and their loved ones.
How are our preschools different from day care?
Our high-quality preschool program is different from daycare because we provide daily special education and therapy services. Our teachers have high-level degrees, follow structured classroom routines, and work on individualized goals with the children each day.
How does my child qualify for the program?
Your child must qualify for a developmental assessment plus one direct therapy service (OT/ST/PT).
Does my child have to qualify for services to attend the preschool?
Children who do not receive services are welcome to attend for private pay cost, but limited spots are available.
What funding do they need? What is the difference between Medicaid A/B/TEFRA?
Children must have Medicaid A or TEFRA to be eligible for an EIDT program. The difference between the two is below:
TEFRA (TAX EQUITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 1982)
TEFRA is a funding source that can help families with children 18 or younger who have a disability pay for all or a portion of the cost of developmental preschool and/or therapy. Approval for TEFRA is based on Financial Eligibility and a Medical Evaluation Process to determine if a Disability requirement (meets definition of Social Security), Medical necessity and appropriateness of care requirement, and Financial requirement are all met. To learn more about TEFRA, contact our Support Services Department or visit the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) web site at https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/about-dhs/dms/tefra.
ARKIDS FIRST
ARKids First (Medicaid) is a health insurance program that provides coverage for more than 70,000 children across the state. It covers well-child checkups, eye exams, dental checkups and more. There are two levels of coverage based on family income and family size:
- ARKids A is basic Medicaid for children. There is no out of pocket charge. This is required to enroll in an EIDT program.
- ARKids B is Medicaid for families who are over the threshold for income requirements of regular Medicaid and do not have health insurance for their children. There are co-payments required for some services with an annual limit of 5% of the family’s gross annual income.
If you do not qualify for ARKids A (Medicaid A), TEFRA is recommended if you are trying to enroll in an EIDT setting.
What does a child’s day-to-day look like in the preschool?
Our daily schedule involves academic, physical, and social activities in a structured setting.
What kind of kindergarten readiness skills do the children get at school?
Our comprehensive curriculum naturally incorporates many kindergarten readiness skills each day. Children ages 3-5 are assessed three times per year using our uniquely developed Kindergarten Readiness Indicator Checklist (KRIC), which we formulated based on the Arkansas Department of Education’s KRIC.
How does therapy work at the preschool? Are they treated in the classroom/checked out/etc.
Some children receive therapy treatment in the classroom, while others are treated one-on-one in a therapy suite. The type of session is based on the goals that the child is currently working on in therapy and how conducive the classroom is to treatment during the therapist’s scheduled visit. For example, if the classroom is currently doing circle time, you will often see speech therapists begin their session in the classroom to work on the language component.
Is food provided at your preschool? What type of food is provided?
Two snacks and a hot lunch are provided each day. We partner with USDA to ensure children receive high-quality, nutritious lunches. If your child has a food-specific restriction prescribed by a medical doctor, our snacks and lunches will follow said restrictions.
Does Easterseals provide ABA services?
Yes, we provide in-classroom ABA services, but spots are limited at this time.
Does Easterseals offer formal Autism testing?
Easterseals does not offer formal Autism testing at this time, so children will not receive a diagnosis through Easterseals. Autism testing resources can be provided on request, but we recommend seeking these services as early as possible as high-volume waitlists are common.
Can a student graduate from the Academy with an actual diploma?
Yes. The Academy is a Cognia-accredited school. Upon graduation from the Academy, our students earn an accredited high school diploma.
Does my child have to be 18 years of age to participate in housing options?
Yes. To move forward with housing options, the individual must be at least 18 years old.
What are the requirements for Roommate Housing?
The individual has to be a recipient of CES waiver services and have ESA as their chosen provider.
How long is the waitlist for housing?
The length of the waitlist varies from person to person. Depending on your chosen housing option (HUD or RHO), the waitlist can take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year.
Remember, at Easterseals Arkansas, we’re here to support and guide you every step of the way.
For more questions, you can contact us below.
