Without a facility to provide intervention services for pre-school children in Genesee County, annual costs to transport these young people to regional facilities are exceeding a half-million dollars, County Public Health Director Paul Pettit said on Monday.
“We still do not have any local center-based services in Genesee County, and once Rainbow Preschool was shut down a little over a year ago (due to financial difficulties) that has resulted in having nothing available for our kiddos,” Pettit said at the Genesee County Legislature’s Human Services Committee meeting at the Old County Courthouse.
“So, any kids in the county that require full-day, center-based services, they're getting bused out, which is partly why our transportation services are as costly as they are.”
Calling it a “very challenging” situation, Pettit said it costs about $550,000 in 2021 to bus these children to programs and services in neighboring counties – to places such as the Mary Cariola Children’s Center in Rochester and centers in Livingston and Erie counties. He said last year’s cost likely was less than anticipated due to COVID-19 and the curtailing of travel.
Pettit said about 25 children participate in the county program that offers services such as speech, occupational and physical therapy.
“It’s unfortunate when you look at the cost, typically our transportation is as much as it is for the actual services,” he said. “It would be great to have some more local services, but we’re looking at different things.”
He said the merger of GLOW ARC into a regional organization could open a door to services in Genesee County.
As far as reimbursement on some of the preschool programs, the county receives 59 ½ percent of the cost from New York State.
“The program costs for preschool, in general, are about $2.1 to $2.2 million, which includes the transportation piece (and) related services,” he said. “Kids may be in their home environment, or where they are just in need of speech (therapy) or OT, center-based are usually more involved, where they're receiving the full cadre of services.”
Pettit said the out-of-county children’s centers have a larger population of kids and are financially stable to the point where they could be – with more funding – persuaded to open a site in Genesee County.
“But, at the moment, we haven't had anybody knocking down the door. But I mean, we're definitely looking at it,” he said.
In an effort to control busing expenses, the health department is looking into creating a transportation coordinator that would work with Orleans and Livingston counties.
“This actually would be a three-county collaborative to oversee the busing program that we have and to try to keep costs in check and make sure we're routing and doing the best to get kids where they need to be in the most fiscal appropriate way,” he advised.
