Nehemiah Dawson is five years old, he is third in his kindergarten class for spelling and he has Autism Spectrum disorder. But the program that his parents credit with most of his success might not have a future.
The Autism Program (TAP) is one of several state programs that lost all funding as part of what is being called “The Good Friday Massacre,” which involved the indefinite suspension of $26 million in state grants. Also suspended were funding for burials for the poor, addiction prevention and epilepsy.
TAP was estimated to cost the state about $4.3 million, which totals about one hundredth of a percent of the $32 billion state budget. The move took some legislators by surprise after they passed a stopgap funding bill that included funding for the program.
State Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, spent half an hour last Tuesday in a joint committee hearing of Senate Appropriations I and II pressing Greg Bassi, acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, on why TAP was chosen for a cut.
“I’m trying to figure out why, me, in this appropriations committee, that I have to ask you for information as to why this program is worth the investment,” Kotowski said. “I’ve already determined, with my vote, that it’s worth the investment.”
Bassi said that his office had been working with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget since before the funding measure was passed to try to determine which programs were essential or “core” services and which ones could be cut to get the state through the ongoing budget crisis. He said deciding which programs should be cut is always going to be a tough choice.
“There are a number of people who are served by the state of Illinois and all of them think that their program is the most important … because it’s their life and it’s important to them,” Bassi said. “That’s what makes this so challenging.”
Last Thursday, a group of organizations that administer the TAP grants held a press conference to plead their case. Russell Bonnano, program manager for TAP of Illinois, said that although the window had been left open for more funding in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2016, many of the nonprofits administering the program will not survive unless funding is restored for Fiscal Year 2015. He also noted the irony of having to face this dilemma during Autism Awareness Month.
“Normally during this month, we’d be celebrating what this network has been able to accomplish,” Bonnano said. “This year, instead of coming here to celebrate, we’re here actually pleading for our lives.”
Debra Vines, who runs The Answer Inc., one of TAP’s beneficiaries, made reference to her 27-year-old son, Jason Harlan, who after two months in the program, learned to write his name for the first time.
In stark contrast to Jason is Nehemiah, whose success his parents largely credit to TAP, which he had started in January. Earlier this month, Nehemiah was ranked third in his class for spelling.
Nehemiah also has some impressive powers of observation. Though I had not introduced myself, he managed to pick up on my name through my conversation with his father.
“Hey, Alan, here comes Isaiah,” he said, warning me of the approach of his toddler brother.
Autism is a disorder that is marked by its effect on social communication and interaction. Yet there was little Nehemiah, talking comfortably with someone he just met.
“It’s in his brain now,” said Nehemiah’s father, Stephan Dawson. “If he sees you out in public, he’s going to remember you.”
Contact Alan Kozeluh at intern@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2015.
