Donations elusive Legislator confident of funding.
Despite assurances during the Legislative session that major insurance companies and a bank would donate $1 million toward a new autism treatment pilot, the state has not yet received any money.
That could halve one part of the program, set to begin this summer, at a time when a study of a small area in Utah indicated the state could have the highest autism rate in the nation.
"As of right now there is no money," said Marc Babitz, director of the Division of Family Health and Preparedness at the Utah Department of Health. "I am not aware of one private donation."
But Rep. Ronda Menlove, R-Garland, who sponsored the bill to create the pilot, says there is "no question" that money is on its way.
"Weve been working with the entities this past week working out the details," she said.
Expected donor Zions Bank did not immediately comment. Intermountain Healthcare says it plans to provide financial support although the details are still being finalized.
The two-year pilot program is expected to pay for therapy for about 350 children between the ages of 2 and 6, through a combination of Medicaid, state and private dollars.
Three groups of children will be served, including up to 50 covered by the Public Employees Benefit and Insurance Program; at least 200 kids covered by Medicaid, supported by $4.5 million in Medicaid dollars; and up to 100 from the autism fund, paid in part with private dollars. Those children may be on private insurance or be uninsured.
Babitz said he remained hopeful the private money would still materialize; $1 million in state dollars will become available in July.
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Utah autism treatment pilot struggles for funding