Easterseals Central Texas Families of Kids with Special Needs Fear COVID-19 Budget Cuts

A news report on Spectrum News in San Antonio, Texas highlighted the critical importance of services for children with disabilities, which are threatened by state budget cuts.

The story and accompanying video highlighted the life-changing work of Easterseals Central Texas in serving children and families and told the story of Cadence Hedrick, a two-year-old girl whose ability to use her legs was in doubt when she was born. After early intervention services provided over time by ESCT, Cadence can move around safely and has growing confidence.

“We went from wondering whether she could walk at all to her being very functional,” Robert Hedrick, Cadence’s father told reporters. ”Being able to have someone there to keep us safe while we pushed her was really unbelievable. We call her our miracle baby.”

Tod Marvin President and CEO of ESCT, was quoted in the news story and video about the critical importance of early intervention services. “When you look at the public investment that is required for kids that don’t get these services during this critical window of developmental time, the cost to society is exponential.,”

The story illustrates not only the amazing work of Tod and his team but also the importance of working smarter, of innovation, vision and leadership, in the face of budget cuts and the growing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.