Supporting Therapy and Empowering Pediatric Services
Early intervention gives Texas' most vulnerable children the best chance of positive health outcomes and independence in adulthood.
For more than 15 years, Texas has underinvested in pediatric therapy. The result is increased waitlists and a growing workforce shortage, leaving thousands of children without the medically-necessary physical, occupational, and speech therapy during the most important years of their development.
Texas needs a comprehensive, fiscally responsible strategy to restore access to pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy services.
A Growing Crisis for Texas Families
Pediatric therapy is a calling, driven by dedication and service. Yet after more than 15 years of reimbursement rates failing to keep pace with inflation, even the most committed providers are struggling to sustain their practices in Texas.
Too few providers coupled with an unprecedented demand for pediatric therapy has resulted in skyrocketing waitlists. Thousands of Texas children are waiting too long for critical care, resulting in poor outcomes and increased cost of long-term care.
THE DATA SHOWS...
Investing in pediatric therapy is fiscally responsible.
Investing $15,000 in early intervention for a child with significant developmental delays can generate an estimated annual return of $60,000 through reduced long-term public expenditures.
(Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 2024 Regional Reports)
High-quality early childhood intervention can save taxpayers in the form of reduced costs related to education, criminal justice and welfare assistance.
Provider rates lag by 41%
In 2012, pediatric speech therapy home care providers were reimbursed $137 per encounter in today's dollars. Now, they only receive $118 — and that's the difference before accounting for inflation.
Waitlist are skyrocketing
Waitlists grew by 46% in only 6 months between July-December 2023. After the 2024 Medicaid unwinding, waitlists shot right back up by 19%.
STEPS' SOLUTION
Rate increase, automation, and workforce development.
STEPS is working to develop Texas' pediatric therapy workforce by funding scholarships at public colleges and is finding ways for the State to more efficiently deliver care and reduce waitlists by automating pediatric therapy waitlists.
But these efforts will only go so far without the wages to maintain a strong workforce. Increasing therapy provider wages is the most effective way for Texas to recruit, train, and retain qualified therapy providers and staff. This will reduce rapidly growing pediatric therapy waitlists and help children receive care when they need it, long before it reaches crisis levels.