Roy Can Help

A field guide from a dad who's been in the waiting room

By State

In short: Pick your state to find its official parent rights notices, free help from a parent center, and its Medicaid and disability agencies.

Every state runs this differently, because why would they make it easy. Pick yours, and I'll point you to the people in charge.

Five Questions to Ask Your State

The federal rules are the same everywhere. These five things are where states go their own way, and they are the ones I would ask about first. Call or write the agency named in each, and ask for the answer in writing.

  1. Is there a Katie Beckett (TEFRA) option for children? Ask your state Medicaid agency. It is a state choice. How it works.
  2. Does Early Intervention charge families for anything? Ask for the written payment policy. Some states charge on a sliding scale for certain services, never for the evaluation or service coordination. Early Intervention fine print.
  3. What happens to school rights when my child reaches the age of majority? Ask your school district and your state department of education. Some states move the rights to the student and have ways to delegate them. Turning 18 and 26 fine print.
  4. Does my state require insurance to cover autism treatment, and does that include my plan? Some states have a law like that, with limits on age, dollar amounts or plan type. Ask your state insurance department. Here is what South Carolina's looks like.
  5. Can a child with a disability stay on a parent's health plan past the age limit? Ask the plan and your state insurance department. The federal rule and what to ask.

Your state's parent center can help with all five for free, and the list above has a link for your state. A page with the full answers for South Carolina starts at South Carolina Fine Print.

Roy learned his rights by pushing back, because nobody tells you your rights. Start with the first section for your state, then see If They Say This, Ask This for what to say. The rules behind it are federal, so they apply anywhere. Roy's own experience is South Carolina.

Rules behind this page: 34 CFR 300.504 (procedural safeguards notice).

Last updated: October 2026.