LATE PAY HURTING KIDS THERAPISTS CUT SERVICES TO SPECIAL ED.

Byline: Helen Gao Staff Writer

More therapists are cutting their services to special education children in the Los Angeles Unified School District because the district takes more than three months to pay them.

The reduced hours are compounding a nationwide shortage of qualified professionals that has already led to lengthy waiting lists - some as long as 18 months.

District officials blamed the payment delays on poor staffing and an antiquated accounts payable system that relies on manual processing rather than computers.

Michelle Bekeza, owner of Encino-based Reaching for the Stars, which contracts with the district to provide behavior-intervention services, said because her invoices are not paid in a timely manner, she has had to take out one bank loan and two personal loans to meet payroll demands.

Because of her cash flow problems, she said she is unable to take on additional clients, even though she would like to.

``I can't anymore. I can't financially,'' she said. ``It gets to the point where it just doesn't make sense, but how can I go to parents and say we are quitting - just go back to the waiting list?''

While Bekeza has not cut back her work with the district, Tarzana-based Therapy In Action has gradually reduced its load of LAUSD clients in the last three years.

Patty Kirby with Therapy in Action said contracts used to provide payments in 60 days; now it's 90 days - and the deadline is being missed.

Las Virgenes Unified and Newhall School District generally pay within 30 or 45 days, she said.

``It's a serious problem to say 90 days at the least. It's an even more serious problem when it goes beyond 90 days. It does make our business manager sweat for payroll every month.''

Kirby said the root of the problem is the vast bureaucracy - LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the nation with an annual payment volume of more than $2 billion.

A 2001 investigation by the Inspector General's Office found payments to vendors and suppliers took up to two years. LAUSD still relies heavily on manual processing, not computers, the report said.

Parents and special education advocates said the school district's inability to pay vendors on time is taking a toll on disabled students.

When Tracey MacDonald first moved from San Diego to Studio City about 18 months ago, it took her five months to find a behavior specialist for her autistic son, Griffin.

She went down the list of agencies authorized by the school district and found that some have waiting lists as long as a year and a half.

``It's sad if you have people who are interested in working in this field, and they have to leave because they need a paycheck,'' said MacDonald, who is launching a Los Angeles chapter of Cure Autism Now, a nonprofit group that seeks a cure for the developmental disorder that disrupts communication and social skills.

Sarit Ariam, a special education attorney who advocates for parents with autistic children, said it's extremely frustrating for her clients who are unable to secure a provider for their child. It's doubly so when they have spent time and money to hire an attorney to force the district to pay for therapy.

``There is a long waiting list for everything,'' Ariam said, especially for speech and behavior therapists. ``It's devastating. (The kids) have to get the (therapy) as soon as possible.''

Yoshi Fong, the district's controller, blamed some of the problems on the county, which actually cuts the checks for vendors. Earlier in the fiscal year, the county installed a new computer system that did not interface with the district's.

``We are making changes that we hope will allow us to be more responsible and make our payments much more quickly.''

Assistant Superintendent Donnalyn Jaque-Anton said efforts are being made to track invoices and streamline the process.

``Some of our business side has grown mightily. There is realization that we need more clerical workers, but our requests are not always honored. I definitely can use more clerical people.''

Therapists and district officials acknowledge that a blizzard of paperwork is involved because of cumbersome state and federal regulations.

To get paid, therapists must submit daily service logs, certification of services, the qualifications of therapists and other data in duplicates.

When the paperwork is incomplete, the district withholds partial payments to vendors, who in turn must spend a lot of time reconciling their records in order to receive full pay.

Jaque-Anton insisted that the situation is improving and the district is close to meeting its own payment deadlines.

``We are trying to be as responsive as possible, not to make excuses but look for ways to improve our business practices,'' she said.

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Photo:

Jessica Halm, a therapist with Reaching for the Stars, works with Griffin MacDonald, 5, in Studio City. Because Reaching for the Stars isn't paid on time, it cannot take new clients.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer