The new plan fosters greater communication between our caseworkers and parents of children who are permanently severely visually impaired. The plan sets in motion the important strategies parents agree are needed by their child in building skills toward personal independence and potential employment. Rules and procedures have been rewritten to remove as many restrictions as possible, and we will soon be publishing a new informational brochure in English and Spanish that explains parental rights. Parents are now given 30 days advance written notice before we close a child's case, and we now will pay for a physical exam when it's needed for a child to participate in a beneficial activity. We have adopted procedures for providing respite care and child care to families.
Parents choose their own caregivers because the parents know the child's needs better.
The information we require from parents to determine whether the Commission can pay for a service has been greatly simplified. All these changes are still in their infancy and we are looking to parents and our other partners to give us feedback on how the system's working. The upcoming summer months are full of opportunities for children with special needs. Watching children participate in these activities is always one of the highlights of the year.