LEWISTON – Maine Education Commissioner Susan Gendron will meet with parents of special needs children to present proposed changes to Child Development Services.

Gendron will present her proposed transition plan from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, at Child Development Services-Androscoggin County, 1567 Lisbon St.

The commissioner will hold similar meetings throughout Maine’s 16 CDS sites during the next several weeks. Contracted providers, school superintendents, elementary principals and special education directors are also welcome to attend. People are asked to call 795-4022 if they have questions or need directions.

Last spring, Gendron agreed to cut $6.5 million for the 2007 fiscal year. CDS has a budget of $43 million.

She said in October that she planned 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 helps 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 was adamant that therapists and case managers wouldn’t be touched in her plan, although some administrative jobs would be lost in restructuring.

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