My name is Melissa Mendoza, and my family and I live in a lovely neighborhood called Woodlake in Sacramento. We are your typical family of four, married for eight years with two beautiful children, a daughter and a son. Our lives seemed typical and ordinary until two years ago when our son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 ½. We were thrown into a world of psychologists, neurologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists and so many unanswered questions.

My husband and I had just started our own web and database design business and were now spending countless hours in doctors’ waiting rooms and searching for answers to why our son was still not talking at the age of 2. Why was he spinning in circles and flapping his arms? Why would he entertain himself by slamming a cabinet door over and over? Why did his words stop? Why wouldn’t he answer to his name? The answer was autism.

We were shocked! We told the psychologist, “But he’s a loving kid. He loves hugs, he loves to be touched. He loves to be with other people. How could it be autism?” We didn’t know anything about an “autistic spectrum.” We learned that his diagnosis placed him somewhere in high-functioning but not Asperger’s syndrome, and that many kids with autism love hugs and squeezes and attention. We bought countless books on Sensory Processing Disorder and autism trying to understand our son and the new world we had entered.

We began therapy that was funded through Alta Regional Center right away at JabberGym in Downtown Sacramento. He began with speech therapy twice a week for 45-minute sessions and occupational therapy for 45 minutes a week at their facility. He also had a developmental therapist visit our home once a week for 45 minutes. The results were not immediate, but Mateo began to say more words, and he really enjoyed playing with his therapists each week. They would write up his progress, and each week there were more results. I could see things slowly clicking for Mateo, but we had a very long road ahead of us.

At the age of 3 we began ABA therapy with Capitol Autism Services in Sacramento. These services are also funded through Alta Regional Center. ABA therapy stands for Applied Behavior Analysis program and takes place in our home. Mateo was receiving over 30 hours a week of services, including full-time support at a “typical” preschool. At the age of 3, speech and occupational therapy are no longer provided through Alta Regional Center; families must receive services through their school district. So Mateo began speech therapy at Woodlake Elementary School and was cut to 30 minutes a week, the maximum the district would provide for a 3-year-old who barely spoke. Occupational therapy was now 45 minutes a week at Vineland Elementary School in Rio Linda. Services through the school district are not enough!

To receive ABA Therapy that is funded through Alta, someone must be in your home during the 30-hours-a-week program, and at least 60 percent of the time it needs to be either a parent or grandparent. On top of this we must transport our child to and from preschool, to therapy and whatever appointments he needs. This does not leave much time for running a business and finding quality family time for us all, but we find a way for Mateo.

And it has paid off because the hours and hours of therapy and interaction with typically developing children at preschool with the assistance of an aide has made all of the difference. I strongly believe that Mateo receiving therapy immediately through Alta Regional Center and the dedication and work of his home program tutors from Capitol Autism Services has made it possible for him to attend a typical kindergarten this fall.

Running our business means a large amount of expenses, health insurance, medical expenses, taxes and so much more. It gives us the flexibility to help our son, but there are no tax breaks for middle-class families trying to raise a child with special needs. And now those very services that have made all of the difference for Mateo are proposed to be cut.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget cuts would cut the Lanterman Act’s promise that people with developmental disabilities will get the services and support they need to live full lives in the community.

It would be on a sliding scale, and a middle-class family could be expected to pay up to $6,000 a year to cover services. There is no way our family could afford that. Our son would have to go without.

Autism diagnosis is growing more each year. Currently 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys are diagnosed each year. Autism receives less than 5 percent of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases. There are no answers to what causes autism, but there is one thing that we know: Early intervention and services make all of the difference. I know without the early speech therapy, home ABA program and occupational therapy, Mateo wouldn’t be developmentally where he is today.

When we started therapy, Mateo could only repeat one word at a time and hardly spoke on his own. This morning Mateo said to me, “Mama, watch cartoons with me!” He has made huge strides in the past few months. I don’t think it would have been possible without the therapy and support we have received.

If the cuts happen, my son could lose many of his services, and children who are newly diagnosed with autism would definitely be missing out on the most important years of therapy. I know the cuts need to happen, but taking away from children who already receive so little is not the answer.

Thank you for the time to listen to Mateo’s story and how important it is that these services continue for our children. If you would like to hear more of our stories, follow our blog at mateosstory.wordpress.com.

If you are interested in attending the hearings, the information is as follows:

Thursday, Feb. 3
WHO: Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health & Human Services
WHEN: Approximately 10 a.m. or upon adjournment of Assembly floor session
WHAT: Hearing on Developmental Services proposed cuts
WHERE: State Capitol in Room 4202
NOTE: There is a Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing at 9:30 a.m. this same day focusing on the governor’s proposed cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and SSI/SSP, and the proposed elimination of the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP)
CAN PUBLIC TESTIFY?: Yes – very brief (can also can submit longer written comments)

Thursday, Feb. 10
WHO: Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health & Human Services
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. or upon adjournment of the Senate floor session
WHAT: Hearing on Developmental Services proposed cuts
WHERE: State Capitol in Room 4203
CAN PUBLIC TESTIFY?: Yes – very brief (can also submit written comments)