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Budget cuts might close special needs day care

8 years 1 month 1 week ago Monday, February 15 2016 Feb 15, 2016 February 15, 2016 4:50 PM February 15, 2016 in News
Source: WBRZ
By: Michael Vinsanau

BATON ROUGE - A special needs day care might have to close their doors if the state cuts the budget.

Pediatria employees care for special needs children with ventilators and feeding tubes on a daily basis. 

"This is one of the jewels that we truly have," State Rep. Kevin Pearson. "People dont see this. they dont see the children with feeding tubes, I mean these are little infants. It's so critical to take care of them."

Pearson said these centers need to be prioritized during the special session. If not, the impact could be life-changing.

Pediatria offers services that average day cares do not. If this wasn't here, some parents couldn't work. 

"I don't know what me and my family would do, because I would be out of a job," Ranesha Green said "I would have to be home with her full-time."

Company President Joe Harrelson couldn't put a number on how much it costs to keep Pediatria open. He did say what it costs per day.

"We currently receive about $292 a day, per child for this center, and that's inclusive of their nursing care and that's inclusive of the therapy they receive here."

If the state can't find the money to keep Pediatria open, the parents will be the ones giving the therapy.

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