By Lindsay Tice,Staff Writer

A state program that helps 5,000 of the very youngest children with autism, speech problems and other special needs may be completely restructured in an attempt to save $6.5 million.

In the plan: cut nine of the 16 Child Development Service centers, change the way some kids get help and rely heavily on public schools.

Education Commissioner Susan Gendron says it’s all necessary to produce the savings she promised lawmakers during the last budget battle.

But others believe children and parents may pay the real price.

“In our area we’re going to have three and a half counties (to cover)” said Angela Delorme, chairwoman of Child Development Services for Androscoggin County. “It makes a lot of people nervous.”

Child Development Services, or CDS, evaluates children 5 years old and younger and offers speech therapy, developmental therapy and other help. Sometimes, the program contracts with private providers, such as Sandcastle Pre-School in Lewiston. Sometimes, the program uses its own consultants, therapists and case managers who operate out of 16 CDS service centers.

The Maine Department of Education and the education commissioner oversee CDS and its $43 million budget. A little more than half that funding comes from the federal government, while the rest comes from the state.

Last spring, Gendron agreed to cut $6.5 million for the 2007 fiscal year.

“We need to get creative about how we operate the system, with the No. 1 priority being that services to children are not interrupted or impacted,” she said in an interview last week.

Gendron will present her cost-savings recommendations to lawmakers next month, but she has already said she wants to:

• Close nine service centers and make the remaining seven responsible for wide regions.

• Centralize billing, data reporting and other administrative services.

• Move therapists and case managers into local public schools and offer services there.

• Allow public schools to monitor 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds.

• Try to get more federal funding.

CDS directors say the state is also looking to change the way it help infants and toddlers. Rather than dedicate a team of experts for one child, CDS would offer a single therapist. That person would provide a range of services – developmental therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy, for example – with backup from specialists. They may also help train parents to do it themselves.

Gendron is adamant that therapists and case managers won’t be touched in her plan, although some administrative jobs would be lost in restructuring.

“Those aren’t the folks that are providing services,” she said.

No matter what, she said, children, families and services won’t be harmed.

But some CDS leaders wonder how the program can be completely restructured and not affect kids.

“When you make any change, it impacts all over the place,” said Alfreda Fournier, director of CDS for Androscoggin County.

They admit that CDS could stand some changes, and they say consolidating payroll and some administration are good places to start.

They don’t believe that cutting nine centers, leaning on public schools or changing the way they deal with infants and toddlers is so wise.

State officials have talked about changes to CDS for about a year. Some would happen within several months. The commissioner would like everything completed by fall of 2008.

Some CDS leaders say it’s all coming too fast.

“I don’t think the changes have been thoroughly tested against what the reality is,” said Id Goscinski, director for the CDS center that works with Brunswick and Sagadahoc County. “I know we need to change, but the drastic changes the commissioner proposes are frightening to me.”

State, CDS and local education officials will meet Friday to discuss the commissioner’s plan. Gendron is expected to present her plan to lawmakers on Nov. 1.

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