SB40 Board considers KRCC

Michelle Fayette, Executive Director for the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, spoke to the Stoddard County Senate Bill 40 Board (SB40) at its September meeting Thursday evening. She asked the board to consider entering into an annual agreement with the center.

She said the Kenny Rogers Center is an outpatient therapy center and they would celebrate the 50th anniversary of the center in 2023. Fayette said no family has ever been charged for their services.

Fayette said a lot of things have happened due to the pandemic. She also said they have other agreements with SB40 Boards in other counties. The funds from these boards help the center to continue to provide its services to area children.

She said they they currently treat about 24 children from Stoddard County. She said per the agreements they set an annual amount that is donated by the board. She suggested $10,000 from Stoddard County but urged the board to discuss and determine an amount they were comfortable with should they wish to move forward. The amount set can never be exceeded, once the amount is reached the board is no longer billed. The other counties they have agreements with are Scott, Mississippi, Cape Girardeau and new Madrid. The amounts from these counties are $20,000 to $25,000 with Scott County at $50,000.

Fayette said this summer they were able to bring several kids off of the treatment waiting list. Fayette stated that they get most of their funds from school based services. With schools returning to class the medical based services tend to go down.

She said if the children have no other payer source the SB40 Board would be billed. If the child has another payer source such as insurance, which she said most do, the insurance is billed first. The SB40 Board is billed second after the insurance is processed.

Fayette was asked if the children were special needs children which they treated. The state funds the SB40 Board operates with must by law be used to help special needs children or adults. She said they were all special needs. Fayette said they offered three services which are occupational, speech and physical therapies.

She was also asked if the money was needed up front. She said no, the board would receive a monthly bill but the agreed amount would not be exceeded.

If an agreement is reached it would likely begin in January 2023. No decision was made by the board at the September meeting.

ARC/Sheltered Workshop

Courtney Moore, Director of the Stoddard County ARC, said she was scheduled to have a EMH webinar on Friday, September 16. It was her hope, that she would learn during this webinar if the transportation rate increase had been approved. If the rates have been approved this would mean more transportation funding for the ARC.

Moore said if the rates are passed the SB40 Board would have to match the funds for the non-waivered clients. This would allow the waivered clients to benefit from the funding.

Past that she said the ARC is getting ready to host its annual booth at the Stoddard County Fair September 20 – September 24. The ARC will again hold the annual raffle with tickets being available at its booth.

Devin Miller, Director of the Stoddard County Sheltered Workshop, said everything is on course, Recycling is where it needs to be but Dewitt is down but will probably pick up in the winter. He said Shipman Construction has not began the renovation of the building. Miller stated that Scott Murphy with Shipman Construction informed him that materials for the project have been ordered but have not arrived as of yet.