When my daughter Millie was just 9 years old, her behavioral challenges escalated to the point where she needed a week-long inpatient stay. It was one of the most painful and overwhelming experiences our family has faced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t until that hospital stay that Millie was formally evaluated for autism \u2014 and finally qualified for services through Arizona\u2019s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS), which is funded through Medicaid. That moment changed the course of our journey. Through Medicaid-funded DDD services, Millie gained access to critical supports, including therapies for sensory processing, speech and communication, and emotional regulation. Before that, these needs were largely unmet. Our family was stretched to the brink \u2014 barely making it through each day. As heartbreaking as it is to say, we had serious conversations about long-term institutional care. That\u2019s how desperate things had become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a parent of a child with intense behaviors, it\u2019s easy to downplay our struggles \u2014 especially when comparing them to families facing severe medical issues. But over time, I\u2019ve come to understand that Millie\u2019s challenges are just as real, just as difficult, and just as deserving of support. Her needs may not involve machines or hospital stays, but they are urgent, complex, and life-changing all the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no doubt in my heart: Medicaid and DDD services have kept Millie out of the hospital and helped our family heal. They\u2019ve provided structure, understanding, and most of all \u2014 hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~ Stacey Hickey <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When my daughter Millie was just 9 years old, her behavioral challenges escalated to the point where she needed a 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(Side note: Girls are often overlooked in autism assessments because they can be especially skilled at masking symptoms and appearing socially engaged.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n