CT Birth to Three Early Intervention staff are welcome to participate in this community of practice.
Please consider emailing: CTBirth23@ct.gov with topics, questions, and interests.
It would be especially helpful to submit (in advance) topics and questions we might want OPM to weigh in on during this meeting.
*We are pleased to Welcome Tara Viens and Heather Ferguson-Hall to the group today. They are representing the Office of Policy and Management, Autism Services. Legislation passed and effective as of July 1, 2023 established.
Tara and Heather are looking to hear about how Birth to Three supports CT’s children and families. They are also interested in hearing about concerns and barriers that impact the system and individual programs. Please consider being part of this conversation!
OPM as the Lead Autism Agency
The legislature made OPM, rather than DSS, the lead agency to coordinate functions of
several state agencies responsible for providing services to people diagnosed with ASD. The new
law requires OPM to serve as the lead state agency for (1) the federal Combating Autism Act and (2)
applying for funds and performing related responsibilities concerning ASD as state or federal law
authorizes. DSS remains the state agency for administering Medicaid state plan services and the
Medicaid waiver program for people with ASD (PA 23-204, §§ 261-263, 278-281 & 443, most
provisions effective July 1, 2023).