Special Services Department

Graduates Timeline (Spanish Version)

Regarding Parental Consent

Background: The State of New Jersey has participated in a Federal program, the Special Education Medicaid Initiative (SEMI), since 1994. The program assists school districts by providing partial reimbursement for medically related services listed on a student's Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

The SEMI program is under the auspices of the New Jersey Department of the Treasury through its collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education and New Jersey Division of Medicaid Assistance and Health Services.
In 2013, the regulations regarding Medicaid parental consent for school-based services changed. Now the regulations require that, prior to accessing a child's public benefits or insurance for the first time, and annually thereafter, school districts must provide parents/guardians written notification and obtain a one-time parental consent.

Is there a cost to you?
No. IEP services are provided to students while at school at no cost to the parent/guardian.

Will SEMI claiming to impact your family's Medicaid benefits?
The SEMI program does not impact a family's Medicaid services, funds, or coverage limits. New Jersey operates the school-based services program differently than the family's Medicaid program. The SEMI program does not affect your family's Medicaid benefits in any way.
What type of services does the School-Based Services program cover?

• Evaluations
• Speech Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Psychological Counseling
• Audiology
• Nursing
• Specialized Transportation

What type of information about your child will be shared?
In order to submit claims for SEMI reimbursement, the following types of records may be required: first name, last name, middle name, address, date of birth, student ID, Medicaid ID, disability, service dates, and the type of services delivered.

Who will see this information?
Information about your child's special education program may be shared with the New Jersey Division of Medicaid Assistance and Health Services and its affiliates, including the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Education to verify Medicaid eligibility and submit claims.

What if you change your mind?
You have the right to withdraw consent to allow for Medicaid billing at any time by contacting the school in which your child is enrolled.
Will your consent or refusal to consent affect your child's services?
No. Your school district is still required to provide services to your child under his or her IEP, regardless of your Medicaid eligibility status or your willingness to consent for SEMI billing,

What if you have questions?
Please call your school district's Special Education department with questions or concerns, or to obtain a copy of the parental consent form.

Method of Delivery: (check one) ____Mailed to parent(s) ____Emailed to parent(s) ____IEP meeting ____ Hand Delivered

ParentSquare

All schools in our district use ParentSquare for school communication primarily with email, text, and app notifications.

ParentSquare automatically syncs with our student information system to generate an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number. We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.

ParentSquare is a safe, secure, and modern approach to communication and collaboration between school and home. Learn more and get started today by viewing our ParentSquare.

Referral for Special Education Services and Related Services

Parent/Family Rights and Engagement

A parent or guardian of a child in the district may request a referral to the Child Study Team by contacting the building principal, or by sending a signed written request for CST evaluation to the attention of Ms. Kim Conti, Director of Special Services:

Signed written requests sent by email are accepted if the email contains a photo of the signed request or a scanned attachment of the signed letter.

New Jersey Special Needs Registry for Disasters. Preparing is caring. Are you Register Ready?

Register Ready is a free, voluntary, and confidential web-based program that identifies the needs of people who may find it difficult to get to safety in an emergency.

People with access and functional needs (or caregivers on their behalf) are encouraged to register online. You can also call New Jersey's toll-free 2-1-1, which registers people, offers free translation, and provides TTY services for the hearing-impaired.

Registries are a great tool to help emergency management officials enhance services to community members, but they are not the only tool. Planning, personal preparedness, and engagement of stakeholder groups who work with functional needs populations are also essential.

• About Register Ready (NJ Office of Emergency Management)

Union SEPAG (Special Education Parent Advisory Group)

unionsepag@gmail.com

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