{ "about": "Every fact published on spectrumbeacon.org, with its verification date and primary source. Unverified items are flagged; treat them as unconfirmed. Cite as: SpectrumBeacon, , .", "site": "https://spectrumbeacon.org", "generated": "2026-07-20", "totalFacts": 108, "pages": [ { "url": "/", "title": "SpectrumBeacon — Free, verified autism help for families, state by state", "facts": [ { "title": "The 30-day matrix rule", "claim": "When you request a Matrix of Services, Florida law requires your district to complete it within 30 days, even if your child attends private school.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA Family Handbook 2025–26, p.19", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/fes-ua/" } } ] }, { "url": "/about", "title": "About us — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "The 30-day matrix rule", "claim": "When you request a Matrix of Services, Florida law requires your district to complete it within 30 days, even if your child attends private school.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA Family Handbook 2025–26, p.19", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/fes-ua/" } } ] }, { "url": "/accessibility", "title": "Accessibility statement — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "claim": "Atkinson Hyperlegible was created by the Braille Institute and designed to improve legibility and readability for readers with low vision.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Braille Institute, Free Fonts", "href": "https://www.brailleinstitute.org/freefont/" } } ] }, { "url": "/federal", "title": "Turning 18 With Autism: The Checklist for the Year Before and After", "facts": [ { "claim": "EPSDT is the child health benefit built into Medicaid. For every enrolled child under 21, the state must cover any medically necessary service that corrects or improves the child’s condition, even if the state does not cover that service for adults. This is the legal basis that requires state Medicaid programs to cover ABA for children.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Medicaid.gov, Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment", "href": "https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/early-and-periodic-screening-diagnostic-and-treatment" } }, { "claim": "IDEA gives eligible children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education and special education services from age 3 through age 21, and requires every district to identify and evaluate children who may need it (Child Find).", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/steps/" } }, { "claim": "If a health plan covers mental health benefits, the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act bars it from making those benefits harder to get than comparable medical care. It applies even to self-funded employer plans that state mandates cannot reach.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity", "href": "https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/mental-health-and-substance-use-disorder-parity" } }, { "title": "Deeming ends at 18", "claim": "Parental deeming stops the month after the child turns 18. From that point, only the young adult’s own income and resources count. A teen who was denied SSI purely because of the parents’ income can often qualify at 18.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Social Security Administration, SSI deeming rules", "href": "https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-deeming.htm" } }, { "title": "What SSI pays and the resource limit", "claim": "The maximum federal SSI payment for 2026 is $994 per month for an eligible individual, and countable resources must stay under $2,000. A home the person lives in and one vehicle do not count. In most states, SSI approval brings Medicaid with it.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Social Security Administration, SSI for children and 2026 payment amounts", "href": "https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-child-ussi.htm" } }, { "title": "The ABLE account, in numbers", "claim": "The first $100,000 in an ABLE account does not count against the $2,000 SSI resource limit. Anyone whose disability began before age 46 is eligible (the limit moved from 26 to 46 on January 1, 2026), and the 2026 annual contribution limit is $19,000 across all contributors.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "ABLE National Resource Center; IRS 2026 inflation adjustments", "href": "https://www.ablenrc.org/what-is-able/what-are-able-accounts/" } }, { "claim": "Florida guardianship runs through the courts under chapter 744, Florida Statutes, and Florida law also recognizes less restrictive alternatives. Our plain-language comparison of the Florida options is still under attorney review, so treat this section as orientation, not legal advice, and talk to a Florida attorney before filing anything.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Chapter 744, Florida Statutes", "href": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/Chapter744" } }, { "title": "The iBudget priority ladder for young adults", "claim": "Florida’s iBudget waitlist priority categories include Category 5 for people expected to graduate secondary school within 12 months who need support for employment or postsecondary education, and Category 6 for people 21 or older. If your child has waited in the lowest category since early childhood, these transition years are when priority can rise.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD pre-enrollment priority categories (s. 393.065(5), F.S.)", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/customers/preenrollment/" } }, { "title": "The two cliffs: 21 and 22", "claim": "Medicaid’s EPSDT child mandate covers children under 21, so at 21 services covered under it must requalify under the state’s adult rules. IDEA school services run through age 21, so the school-based day structure ends around the 22nd birthday.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Medicaid.gov (EPSDT); Parent Center Hub (IDEA)", "href": "https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/early-and-periodic-screening-diagnostic-and-treatment" } } ] }, { "url": "/glossary", "title": "Autism Program Glossary: Every Term, Plainly", "facts": [ { "claim": "Under EPSDT, states must cover any additional Section 1905(a) service found medically necessary to correct or ameliorate a child’s condition, regardless of whether the service is covered in the state’s Medicaid plan, for every enrolled child under 21.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Medicaid.gov, Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment", "href": "https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/early-and-periodic-screening-diagnostic-and-treatment" } }, { "claim": "Autism and Other Health Impairment are separate disability categories under the IDEA regulations, and eligibility under either entitles a child to the same IEP process. The category label does not change the services a child’s IEP can contain.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "IDEA regulations (34 CFR 300.8), via the Parent Center Hub", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/categories/" } }, { "claim": "Under the IDEA regulations, the IEP in effect when the child turns 16 must include measurable postsecondary goals and the transition services needed to reach them.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "IDEA regulations (34 CFR 300.320(b))", "href": "https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320/b" } }, { "claim": "Florida sets its own, earlier trigger age for transition planning in state rules. We have not yet verified Florida’s exact age from the primary source, so ask your district when transition planning begins for your child.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Department of Education, Exceptional Student Education", "href": "https://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/" } }, { "claim": "Guardianship removes rights through a court process under chapter 744, Florida Statutes, while less restrictive alternatives, including supported decision-making arrangements and powers of attorney, leave the adult’s rights in place. Our plain-language Florida comparison is still under attorney review, so confirm the current Florida rules with an attorney before acting.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Chapter 744, Florida Statutes", "href": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/Chapter744" } } ] }, { "url": "/insurance", "title": "Insurance Denied Your Child’s Therapy? The Appeal Kit (Free Templates)", "facts": [ { "title": "Why this one fact decides everything else", "claim": "Federal law (ERISA) preempts state insurance regulation for self-funded employer plans, so no state autism mandate applies to them. Most large companies (500+ employees) self-fund, and the insurance card usually looks identical either way.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "U.S. Department of Labor (EBSA); Autism Speaks, Self-Funded Health Benefit Plans", "href": "https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/mental-health-and-substance-use-disorder-parity" } }, { "title": "Florida’s autism mandate", "claim": "Florida’s Steven A. Geller Autism Coverage Act requires covered plans to pay for screening and for treatment of autism spectrum disorder through speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and ABA. It applies to group health plans and the state employee program, and explicitly does not apply to individual-market plans, individually underwritten plans, or small-employer plans.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Sections 627.6686 and 641.31098, Florida Statutes", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "The Florida caps", "claim": "Under the statute, ABA and the related therapies are capped at $36,000 per year and $200,000 in lifetime benefits, and the annual cap is adjusted upward every January 1 for medical inflation.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Section 627.6686(4)(b) and (8), Florida Statutes", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "Branch B: you have a self-funded plan (your ERISA path, and what still works)", "claim": "The exact current-year inflation-adjusted annual cap is not printed in the statute, and we have not yet verified the current figure. Confirm the current number with your plan before budgeting around it.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Section 627.6686(8), Florida Statutes", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "Self-funded is not the end of the road", "claim": "As of 2018, about 45% of companies with 500 or more employees covered ABA or other intensive behavioral therapy voluntarily, and most companies that size self-fund. Check the SPD and ask before assuming you are uncovered.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans (2018), via Autism Speaks", "href": "https://www.autismspeaks.org/self-funded-health-benefit-plans" } }, { "title": "The federal parity lever", "claim": "Self-funded plans that offer mental health benefits must follow the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act: they cannot make mental health care, including ABA, harder to get than comparable medical care. Since 2021, plans must produce their written parity comparative analysis on request to a participant or to the Department of Labor.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity", "href": "https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/mental-health-and-substance-use-disorder-parity" } }, { "title": "The 72-hour rule and continued coverage", "claim": "When previously approved care is being cut, the plan generally must respond to an expedited appeal within 72 hours, and under the ACA appeal rules (45 CFR 147.136) it cannot reduce or terminate an ongoing course of treatment without advance notice and a chance to appeal first. You can request continued coverage pending the outcome of the appeal; ask for it explicitly.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "ACA appeal rules (45 CFR 147.136); U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA", "href": "https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/ask-a-question/ask-ebsa" } }, { "claim": "Florida routes external reviews for state-regulated plans through a process overseen by state regulators. We have not yet verified the current Florida external review filing steps and time limits from the primary source, so follow the instructions printed on your final denial letter.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Department of Financial Services", "href": "https://www.myfloridacfo.com/" } }, { "title": "EPSDT: the floor for children under 21", "claim": "For a child under 21 enrolled in Medicaid, the EPSDT mandate requires the state to cover any medically necessary service that corrects or improves the child’s condition, and states cannot use rigid dollar caps or visit limits to deny it. A flat “we don’t cover ABA” answer is usually not lawful for a child under 21.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Medicaid.gov, EPSDT; CMS State Health Official letter SHO #24-005 (2024)", "href": "https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/early-and-periodic-screening-diagnostic-and-treatment" } } ] }, { "url": "/playbooks/first-90-days", "title": "After the Autism Diagnosis: The First 90 Days, in Order", "facts": [ { "title": "Why you apply years before you need it", "claim": "More than 23,000 people are waiting for Florida’s iBudget waiver, and waits of 10 or more years are common. A young child who is not in crisis typically lands in Category 7, the lowest of the seven priority categories.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD Applying for Services and pre-enrollment priority categories (s. 393.065(5), F.S.)", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/customers/application/" } }, { "title": "The scholarship and the matrix", "claim": "The FES-UA award is set by the child’s Matrix of Services level. Most children start at levels 251-253, roughly $9,500 to $14,000 a year depending on county, unless a district matrix documents a higher level of need. A family can request a matrix at any time and the district must complete it within 30 days.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Step Up For Students FES-UA program page and 2025-26 award tables; FLDOE FES-UA FAQs", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/unique-abilities/" } }, { "title": "3. Insurance authorization for ABA", "claim": "Step Up For Students opens FES-UA applications in windows during the year, and renewing families get priority handling. We have not yet confirmed the current year’s window dates and priority rules from the primary source, so check the Step Up site before you plan around them.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Step Up For Students FES-UA program page", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/unique-abilities/" } }, { "title": "The prior-auth clock", "claim": "Most health plans require prior authorization before paying for ABA, usually authorizing the assessment first and then the treatment plan. Approvals commonly come in six-month blocks with reauthorization required each period, so expect to repeat the process two or three times a year.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Mental Health and Autism Insurance Project, Requesting Treatments and Managing Denials", "href": "https://mhautism.org/requesting-treatments-managing-denials/" } }, { "title": "The school district owes you an evaluation", "claim": "Under IDEA’s Child Find duty, every school district must identify, locate, and evaluate children who may have a disability, regardless of whether the child is enrolled in public school. A parent can request the evaluation in writing at any time; under the federal rule it must be completed within 60 days after the parent gives consent, and if the child qualifies, the IEP must be written within 30 days of the eligibility decision.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA regulations", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/steps/" } }, { "title": "Under 3", "claim": "Applying for the iBudget waiver and the FES-UA scholarship costs nothing to file. We have not yet completed a formal source check showing a printed $0 on each application page, so we flag it here, but no fee has ever appeared in the official application instructions we verified.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD Application for Services; Step Up For Students FES-UA application", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/customers/application/" } }, { "title": "3 to 5", "claim": "Early Steps is Florida’s free early intervention program for children under 36 months. You can refer your own child by phone with no doctor’s referral and no diagnosis, and the evaluation is free.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps program handbook", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/early-steps/" } } ] }, { "url": "/playbooks/matrix", "title": "The Florida Matrix Playbook: How Your Child’s Scholarship Amount Really Gets Decided — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "The default tier", "claim": "A diagnosis alone puts your child at the lowest funding tier by default. In most counties that means roughly $10,000 to $11,000 a year.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA award amounts by county and grade, 2025-26 (Step Up For Students, official PDF)", "href": "https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hubfs/Scholarship%20Info/Unique-Abilities-Award-Amounts-2025-26.pdf" } }, { "title": "The higher tiers", "claim": "A district evaluation called the Matrix of Services can place your child at a higher tier, if their documented needs support it. Level 4 pays about $21,500 to $25,700. Level 5, which is rare and reflects the most intensive needs, pays about $34,700 to $39,300.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA award amounts by county and grade, 2025-26 (Step Up For Students, official PDF)", "href": "https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hubfs/Scholarship%20Info/Unique-Abilities-Award-Amounts-2025-26.pdf" } }, { "title": "The 30-day matrix rule", "claim": "You can request this evaluation at any time. Your child does not need to attend public school. Florida law gives the district 30 days to complete it after your request.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA Family Handbook 2025-26, Step Up For Students (official PDF)", "href": "https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hubfs/HANDBOOKS/Parent%20Handbooks/FES-UA-Parent-Handbook.pdf" } }, { "title": "The clocks, in order", "claim": "When you request a new or revised matrix, Florida law requires the district to “complete the IEP and matrix level of services within thirty (30) days” of your request, and to notify you and the Florida Department of Education within 10 days after that. The DOE then tells Step Up within another 10 days, and the scholarship adjusts.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA Family Handbook 2025-26, Step Up For Students (official PDF)", "href": "https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hubfs/HANDBOOKS/Parent%20Handbooks/FES-UA-Parent-Handbook.pdf" } }, { "title": "The re-evaluation window", "claim": "A family may request a matrix re-evaluation once every three years, or sooner if correcting an error.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FES-UA Family Handbook 2025-26, Step Up For Students (official PDF)", "href": "https://go.stepupforstudents.org/hubfs/HANDBOOKS/Parent%20Handbooks/FES-UA-Parent-Handbook.pdf" } } ] }, { "url": "/signs", "title": "Worried About Autism? The Signs Page: What to Do Tonight — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "claim": "The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children be screened for autism at their 18-month and 24-month well-child visits, whether or not anyone is worried.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance", "href": "https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html" } }, { "claim": "The M-CHAT is a free, official 20-question screening for toddlers 16 to 30 months old. It takes about 10 minutes and you can do it at home.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "mchatscreen.com (the official M-CHAT site)", "href": "https://mchatscreen.com/" } }, { "title": "Under 3: call Early Steps yourself", "claim": "Losing words a child already had (regression) is treated as an urgent sign in CDC and AAP guidance, and it is different from talking late.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance", "href": "https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html" } }, { "title": "3 and up: the school district owes you an evaluation", "claim": "Early Steps is Florida’s free early intervention program for children under 36 months. Call 1-800-218-0001(statewide) and say you want to refer your own child. No doctor’s referral, no diagnosis, and the evaluation is free.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps (floridaearlysteps.com)", "href": "https://floridaearlysteps.com/" } }, { "claim": "Under IDEA’s Child Find duty, every school district must identify and evaluate children who may have a disability. A parent can start this by asking for an evaluation in writing, and under the federal rule the evaluation must be completed within 60 days after the parent gives consent.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA regulations", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/steps/" } }, { "claim": "Provider quotes collected in July 2026 ranged from 6 to 10 months in Tampa up to 10 to 14 months in Miami for a private autism evaluation. This is not official data; we recheck it quarterly.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "SpectrumBeacon provider survey, July 2026", "href": "/verification" } } ] }, { "url": "/signs/m-chat", "title": "M-CHAT: The Free 10-Minute Autism Screening for Toddlers, Explained", "facts": [ { "title": "What the M-CHAT is", "claim": "The M-CHAT-R/F is a free 20-question screening for toddlers 16 to 30 months old. It takes about 10 minutes, you can complete it at home, and it is free for clinical, research, and educational use. It identifies children who should be referred for further evaluation; it does not diagnose autism.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "mchatscreen.com (the official M-CHAT-R/F site)", "href": "https://mchatscreen.com/" } }, { "title": "Why screening happens at these ages", "claim": "The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all children be screened for autism at their 18-month and 24-month well-child visits, whether or not anyone is worried. Taking the M-CHAT at home follows the same schedule your pediatrician uses.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance", "href": "https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html" } }, { "title": "The score bands and the Follow-Up rule", "claim": "On the M-CHAT-R, a total of 0 to 2 is low risk, 3 to 7 is medium risk and calls for the Follow-Up interview, and 8 to 20 is high risk and warrants an immediate referral for evaluation. A medium score that stays at 2 or higher after the Follow-Up is a positive screen.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "M-CHAT-R/F scoring instructions (mchatscreen.com)", "href": "https://mchatscreen.com/" } }, { "title": "Early Steps accepts children from birth", "claim": "Florida’s Early Steps is the free early intervention program for children from birth to 36 months. You can refer a child younger than 16 months, before the M-CHAT applies, and rescreen with the M-CHAT once your child reaches 16 months.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps program handbook", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/early-steps/" } }, { "title": "Self-referral, no diagnosis, free", "claim": "Early Steps is Florida’s free early intervention program for children under 36 months. A family can refer their own child directly, with no doctor’s referral and no diagnosis, and the initial evaluation must be completed within 45 days of the date the referral is received.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps policy handbook (34 CFR 303.301, 303.310)", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/early-steps/" } }, { "claim": "Under IDEA’s Child Find duty, every school district must identify and evaluate children who may have a disability. A parent starts this by asking for an evaluation in writing, and under the federal rule the evaluation must be completed within 60 days after the parent gives consent.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA regulations", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/steps/" } } ] }, { "url": "/signs/wait-and-see", "title": "Your Pediatrician Said \"Wait and See.\" You Don’t Have To.", "facts": [ { "title": "The window closes at 36 months", "claim": "Early Steps is Florida’s free early intervention program for children from birth to 36 months. Eligibility ends at the third birthday, so time spent waiting is time out of the program’s age window.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps policy handbook", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/early-steps/" } }, { "title": "Screening is the routine, recommended step", "claim": "The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screening every child for autism at the 18-month and 24-month well-child visits, whether or not anyone is worried. Acting on a developmental concern by seeking a screening or evaluation follows this guidance rather than departing from it.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance", "href": "https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html" } }, { "title": "You can refer your own child", "claim": "In Florida a family can refer their own child to Early Steps directly. No physician referral is required and no diagnosis is required. Once Early Steps receives the referral, the initial evaluation must be completed within 45 days.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps policy handbook (34 CFR 303.301, 303.310)", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/childrens-health/early-steps/" } }, { "title": "Losing words is the urgent one", "claim": "Losing words or skills a child already had (regression) is treated as an urgent sign in CDC and AAP guidance, and it is different from being a late talker. It warrants prompt evaluation rather than watchful waiting.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance", "href": "https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html" } }, { "claim": "Part C of IDEA funds a free early intervention program in every state for children under 3, and Child Find requires states to identify and evaluate children who may have a disability. A parent can make the referral; the program’s name and contact differ by state.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA", "href": "https://www.parentcenterhub.org/steps/" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/arizona", "title": "No multi-year wait for Arizona autism families — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "Served without the long line", "claim": "Children who meet DDD and ALTCS criteria are enrolled and served without the multi year interest lists other states have. No primary source states this in exact words, so confirm current access with DDD Eligibility at 1-844-770-9500.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Arizona DES, DDD eligibility", "href": "https://des.az.gov/services/disabilities/developmental-disabilities/determine-eligibility" } }, { "title": "The universal scholarship account", "claim": "Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account is universal. The average award was $9,572 for 2024 to 2025, and a student with an IEP, MET report, or 504 plan receives additional disability funding on top of the base.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "EdChoice, Arizona ESA", "href": "https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/arizona-empowerment-scholarship-accounts/" } }, { "title": "Why Arizona skips Katie Beckett", "claim": "Arizona has not adopted a standalone Katie Beckett program. DDD through ALTCS fills the same role, qualifying children on the child’s level of care. A family with high household income should apply through DDD rather than hunting for a Katie Beckett door.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Katie Beckett state list", "href": "https://medicaideligibilitycalculator.com/katie-beckett-medicaid/" } }, { "title": "The birth to three program", "claim": "The Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) serves children birth to age 3. Referrals go through the Central Referral Line at 1-888-592-0140, and AzEIP eligibility can roll into a DDD determination with your consent.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Arizona DES, DDD eligibility", "href": "https://des.az.gov/services/disabilities/developmental-disabilities/determine-eligibility" } }, { "title": "What Steven’s Law requires", "claim": "Steven’s Law (A.R.S. 20-826.04, effective 2009) requires state regulated plans to cover autism diagnosis and treatment, with ABA capped at $50,000 per year up to age 9 and $25,000 per year for ages 9 through 16. Self funded plans are exempt.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSL, autism insurance state laws", "href": "https://www.ncsl.org/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/florida", "title": "Florida autism programs, program by program — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "The record, receipted", "claim": "Florida has not adopted the Katie Beckett (TEFRA) option. A Florida family cannot use it to qualify a disabled child for Medicaid regardless of parent income. The nearest substitute is the iBudget waiver, which waives parental income but carries a waitlist of more than 23,000 people.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Kids’ Waivers state list", "href": "https://www.kidswaivers.org/full-list/" } }, { "title": "Early Steps auto-qualify", "claim": "An autism diagnosis auto-qualifies a child for Early Steps, Florida’s early intervention system for children from birth to 36 months.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Early Steps", "href": "https://floridaearlysteps.com/" } }, { "title": "The SSI income reality", "claim": "As a rough guide, a family of 4 with earned income above roughly $43,000 a year often exceeds the SSI child deeming limit. The exact threshold depends on your household, so confirm with the Social Security Administration before relying on it.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Confirm with SSA", "href": "https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/" } }, { "title": "No dollar cap under 21", "claim": "For a child under 21 on Florida Medicaid, ABA (behavior analysis) is a covered medical benefit with no annual dollar cap. Prior authorization is required and hours are approved in blocks.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "AHCA, behavior analysis services", "href": "https://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/medicaid-policy-quality-and-operations/medicaid-policy-and-quality/medicaid-policy/medical-and-behavioral-health-coverage-policy/behavioral-health-and-health-facilities/behavior-analysis-services-information.html" } }, { "title": "Where claims go since 2025", "claim": "Beginning February 1, 2025, behavior analysis claims go to the child’s Statewide Medicaid Managed Care plan, not fee for service Medicaid. Your plan’s network now decides which providers you can actually reach.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "AHCA, behavior analysis services", "href": "https://ahca.myflorida.com/medicaid/medicaid-policy-quality-and-operations/medicaid-policy-and-quality/medicaid-policy/medical-and-behavioral-health-coverage-policy/behavioral-health-and-health-facilities/behavior-analysis-services-information.html" } }, { "title": "Two doors must open", "claim": "To join the CMS Health Plan a child must qualify financially through a Florida KidCare track and pass a clinical screen for special health care needs. Providers reach the clinical eligibility line at 855-901-5390, and a family can ask to be rescreened at any time.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida DOH, CMS Health Plan", "href": "https://www.floridahealth.gov/individual-family-health/child-infant-youth/special-health-care-needs/cms/cms-health-plan/" } }, { "title": "The waitlist, plainly", "claim": "More than 23,000 people are waiting for the iBudget waiver, and waits of 10 or more years are common.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD, applying for services", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/customers/application/" } }, { "title": "Where young children land", "claim": "A young child who is not in crisis typically lands in Category 7, the lowest of the seven priority categories. If circumstances change, contact your APD regional office and ask for a category review right away. Documentation drives the change.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD, pre-enrollment priority categories", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/customers/preenrollment/docs/PRE-ENROLLMENT%20PRIORITY%20CATEGORIES%20-%20F.S.%20393.065(5)%20250701%20FINAL.pdf" } }, { "title": "Award tiers, 2025-26", "claim": "Matrix levels 251 to 253, the default range, pay about $9,500 to $14,000 depending on county. Level 254 pays about $21,500 to $25,700. Level 255 pays about $34,700 to $39,300. Confirm the current year number for your county before budgeting.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Step Up For Students, FES-UA", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/unique-abilities/" } }, { "title": "The 30 day matrix rule", "claim": "You can request a matrix, or a new one, at any time. Once requested, the school district must complete it within 30 days. Only the district sets the matrix; Step Up For Students administers the money but cannot change the level.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FLDOE, FES-UA FAQs", "href": "https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/18766/urlt/FES-UA-FAQs.pdf" } }, { "title": "The deadlines", "claim": "Applications for the next school year open February 1. Renewals should be in by April 30. For PEP, all applications, new and renewing, must be in by April 30, after which PEP closes for that year.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Step Up For Students, PEP", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/personalized-education-program/" } }, { "title": "One scholarship per child", "claim": "You cannot stack FES-UA with FES-EO, FTC, or PEP. FES-UA and PEP are ESA style accounts whose unused funds roll over; FES-EO and FTC pay tuition at a participating private school.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FLDOE, FES scholarships", "href": "https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/k-12-scholarship-programs/fes/" } }, { "title": "The caps", "claim": "Covered group plans must pay for ABA and related therapies up to $36,000 per year and $200,000 in lifetime benefits, with the annual cap adjusted each January 1 for medical inflation.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Statutes 627.6686", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "The current adjusted cap", "claim": "The statute does not print the current inflation adjusted annual cap, so the exact figure for this year is not confirmed. Ask the plan for the current number before budgeting.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Statutes 627.6686", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "Which plans it misses", "claim": "The mandate does not apply to individual market plans, individually underwritten plans, or small employer plans, and self funded employer plans are governed by federal ERISA law instead of Florida law.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida Statutes 627.6686", "href": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.6686.html" } }, { "title": "Free help in every county", "claim": "Florida’s 7 university based CARD centers cover all 67 counties and their services are free to families. CARD does not diagnose autism and does not provide ABA; it is a support and navigation resource.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "UF CARD, find your center", "href": "https://card.ufl.edu/about-card/find-your-card/" } }, { "title": "Diagnosis waits by metro", "claim": "Typical diagnostic evaluation waits run 10 to 14 months in Miami, 9 to 12 in Jacksonville, 8 to 12 in Orlando, and 6 to 10 in Tampa. Waits shift with provider capacity and season, so treat these as planning ranges and confirm with the specific clinic.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Florida CARD directory", "href": "https://florida-card.org/" } }, { "title": "Free screening, no insurance", "claim": "FDLRS Child Find offers free developmental screenings for children 34 months through age 5 who are not already in Head Start or public school. Insurance is never needed for these services.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "FDLRS", "href": "https://www.fdlrs.org/" } }, { "title": "Who qualifies", "claim": "A child qualifies for VPK SIS if they are age eligible for VPK, generally turned 4 by September 1, and have a current IEP documenting a disability. Statewide help line: 1-866-447-1159.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "VPK Help, VPK SIS", "href": "https://www.vpkhelp.org/vpk-specialized-instructional-services-vpk-sis/" } }, { "title": "The funded path", "claim": "The iBudget waiver covers respite care for children under 21 living in the family home. The child must be enrolled in the waiver, which is why joining the APD waitlist early matters even though the wait is long.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "APD, iBudget services", "href": "https://apd.myflorida.com/medicaid/ibudget/ibudgetservices.htm" } }, { "title": "Your CARD center", "claim": "UM-NSU CARD, a partnership of the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University, serves Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties, free of charge.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "UF CARD, find your center", "href": "https://card.ufl.edu/about-card/find-your-card/" } }, { "title": "The Children’s Trust", "claim": "Miami-Dade’s Children’s Trust funds free or subsidized programs families enroll in: special needs summer camps, after school seats, Thrive by 5 early learning, and Parent Club workshops. Use the Special Populations filter in the program directory.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "The Children’s Trust program directory", "href": "https://www.thechildrenstrust.org/find-a-program" } }, { "title": "Your CARD centers", "claim": "UCF CARD serves Central Florida, USF CARD serves Tampa Bay and the Southwest, and UF Health Jacksonville CARD serves the Northeast. All CARD services are free.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "UF CARD, find your center", "href": "https://card.ufl.edu/about-card/find-your-card/" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/georgia", "title": "Georgia autism help: two doors most families miss — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "Katie Beckett has its own team here", "claim": "Georgia runs the Katie Beckett Medicaid Program (TEFRA). Family income is ignored for a qualifying child age 18 or younger who lives at home. Apply through the Centralized Katie Beckett Medicaid Team at 678-248-7449, a county DFCS office, or gateway.ga.gov.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Georgia Medicaid, TEFRA/Katie Beckett", "href": "https://medicaid.georgia.gov/programs/all-programs/tefrakatie-beckett" } }, { "title": "The special needs voucher", "claim": "The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship voucher averaged $7,358 in a recent year. The student needs an active IEP or 504 plan and a prior year in a Georgia public school receiving special education services.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "EdChoice, Georgia Special Needs Scholarship", "href": "https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/georgia-special-needs-scholarship-program/" } }, { "title": "The newer Promise account", "claim": "The newer Georgia Promise Scholarship ESA provides $6,500 per student, prioritized for lower income families. The program is new, so confirm the current year amount and income thresholds directly.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Georgia Promise Scholarship", "href": "https://mygeorgiapromise.org/" } }, { "title": "The waiver planning list", "claim": "Georgia’s main disability Medicaid waivers, NOW and COMP, had a planning list of over 7,300 people as of January 2024. State budgets have funded only a few hundred new slots per year.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities", "href": "https://gcdd.org/images/2024/Legislative_History-Waivers-FINAL.pdf" } }, { "title": "Help before age three", "claim": "Babies Can’t Wait is Georgia’s early intervention program under IDEA Part C, serving children from birth to age 3 with a developmental delay or an established condition.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "ECTA Center Part C directory", "href": "https://ectacenter.org/contact/ptccoord.asp" } }, { "title": "What Ava’s Law makes insurers cover", "claim": "Ava’s Law (Georgia Code 33-24-59.10) requires state regulated plans to cover autism care for children age 20 or under, with ABA capped at $35,000 per year. It does not reach self funded employer plans.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSL, autism insurance state laws", "href": "https://www.ncsl.org/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/north-carolina", "title": "North Carolina autism programs and the no-wait door — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "One of the longest waiver lines", "claim": "The NC Innovations waiver waitlist is widely reported at roughly 16,000 or more people, and slots open only when someone leaves or the legislature funds more. NC publishes a live Innovations Waitlist Dashboard, which is the authoritative source for today’s number.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NC Medicaid, Innovations waitlist", "href": "https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/beneficiaries/nc-innovations-waiver/about-nc-innovations-waiver-waitlist" } }, { "title": "The door with no waitlist", "claim": "NC Medicaid 1915(i) services offer similar supports (help with daily activities, job coaching) with no enrollment waitlist, and joining does not affect your spot on the Innovations list.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NC Medicaid, Innovations waitlist", "href": "https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/beneficiaries/nc-innovations-waiver/about-nc-innovations-waiver-waitlist" } }, { "title": "The disability education account", "claim": "ESA+ pays $9,000 per year for a student who meets the IDEA definition of a child with a disability, with no income cap and no enrollment cap. Autism alone sits in the $9,000 tier; the $17,000 tier requires one of four other listed disabilities.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSEAA, Education Student Accounts", "href": "https://k12.ncseaa.edu/the-education-student-accounts/" } }, { "title": "Where Katie Beckett gets murky", "claim": "Sources conflict on whether North Carolina counts as a Katie Beckett state. Treat CAP/C, the waiver for medically fragile children age 0 through 20 that disregards parental income, as the de facto pathway, and confirm directly with NC Medicaid before relying on it.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NC Medicaid, CAP/C", "href": "https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/capc" } }, { "title": "The infant and toddler program", "claim": "The NC Infant-Toddler Program serves children birth to age 3 through regional Children’s Developmental Services Agencies, under IDEA Part C.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCDHHS, NC ITP", "href": "https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/child-and-family-well-being/north-carolina-infant-toddler-program-nc-itp/about-nc-itp" } }, { "title": "What state plans must cover", "claim": "N.C. General Statute 58-3-192 requires state regulated plans to cover autism screening, diagnostic testing, and treatment, including adaptive behavior treatment. Self funded employer plans are exempt.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSL, autism insurance state laws", "href": "https://www.ncsl.org/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/tennessee", "title": "Tennessee’s three-part Katie Beckett and autism aid — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "Katie Beckett comes in three parts", "claim": "Tennessee’s Katie Beckett Program covers children under 18 with significant disabilities whose families earn too much for regular Medicaid. Part A adds up to $15,000 per year in home services plus full Medicaid. Part B provides up to $10,000 per year. Families must apply for Part B before Part A can be considered.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "TennCare, Katie Beckett", "href": "https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/katie-beckett-waiver.html" } }, { "title": "ECF CHOICES and its short supply", "claim": "ECF CHOICES is TennCare’s program for people with an intellectual or developmental disability. Enrollment is not guaranteed: slots are very limited right now, in TennCare’s own words, and qualified applicants who cannot enroll go on a referral list served by priority group.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "TennCare, ECF CHOICES", "href": "https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/employment-and-community-first-choices.html" } }, { "title": "The new freedom scholarship", "claim": "The new Education Freedom Scholarship pays up to $7,296 for 2025 to 2026, with 20,000 first year accounts. Half are reserved for families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, families in other choice programs, and children with a state recognized disability.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "EdChoice, Tennessee EFS", "href": "https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/tennessee-education-freedom-scholarship-act/" } }, { "title": "The older disability account", "claim": "The older Individualized Education Account program is disability specific, and autism is a qualifying category. The exact current deposit amount, and whether the IEA folds into EFS, was not confirmed from a primary source. Check tn.gov/education before planning around it.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "TN Dept of Education, IEA", "href": "https://www.tn.gov/education/families/individualized-education-account-program.html" } }, { "title": "Support in the first three years", "claim": "The Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) serves children birth to age 3 with a developmental delay or an established condition, under IDEA Part C.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "TN Disability and Aging, TEIS", "href": "https://www.tn.gov/disability-and-aging/disability-aging-programs/teis.html" } }, { "title": "A narrower insurance rule", "claim": "Tennessee Code 56-7-2367 requires state regulated plans that cover neurological disorders to cover autism treatment for children under age 12. That is narrower than most states. Self funded employer plans are exempt.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSL, autism insurance state laws", "href": "https://www.ncsl.org/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws" } } ] }, { "url": "/states/texas", "title": "Autism in Texas, the waitlist and the new $30k account — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "Interest lists that outlast childhood", "claim": "Texas runs seven Medicaid waivers, each with its own interest list, and some lists carry waits of more than 15 years. You do not have to prove eligibility to join. Call 1-877-438-5658 for CLASS, DBMD, and MDCP; your LIDDA handles HCS and TxHmL. Add your child early.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Navigate Life Texas, Medicaid waivers", "href": "https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/insurance-financial-help/texas-medicaid-waiver-programs-for-children-with-disabilities" } }, { "title": "No Katie Beckett shortcut in Texas", "claim": "Texas has not adopted the Katie Beckett (TEFRA) option. The closest pathway for a family whose income is too high for regular Medicaid is the MDCP waiver, which has an interest list rather than a Katie Beckett style entitlement.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Kids’ Waivers state list", "href": "https://www.kidswaivers.org/full-list/" } }, { "title": "The new education freedom account", "claim": "Texas Education Freedom Accounts launch for the 2026 to 2027 school year. Most participants get about $10,500. A student with a disability and a current IEP (or a new EFA IEP) can get up to $30,000 per year total.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Texas Education Agency, SB 2 guidance", "href": "https://tea.texas.gov/taa-letters/senate-bill-2-education-savings-accounts-and-children-disabilities" } }, { "title": "Early help from birth to three", "claim": "Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) serves Texas children from birth to age 3 with a developmental delay or a qualifying condition. Autism related delays qualify.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Texas HHS, ECI services", "href": "https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/early-childhood-intervention-services" } }, { "title": "The state insurance rule", "claim": "Texas Insurance Code 1355.015 requires state regulated plans to cover autism screening and generally recognized services, defined to include ABA, speech, occupational, and physical therapy. Self funded employer plans are exempt under ERISA.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "NCSL, autism insurance state laws", "href": "https://www.ncsl.org/health/autism-and-insurance-coverage-state-laws" } } ] }, { "url": "/verification", "title": "How we verify every fact — SpectrumBeacon", "facts": [ { "title": "FES-UA award amounts", "claim": "Most families receive about $10,000 a year. Awards range from about $9,700 to about $36,200 depending on your child’s Matrix of Services level and county.", "status": "verified", "date": "2026-07-18", "source": { "name": "Step Up For Students, 2026-27 FES-UA Award Amounts by District", "href": "https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/fes-ua/" } }, { "title": "Does this guide transfer to Georgia?", "claim": "Georgia’s scholarship and waiver programs appear to be structured much like Florida’s, so parts of this guide may transfer. We have not yet checked this against Georgia’s official handbooks.", "status": "unverified", "date": "2026-07-19", "source": { "name": "Founder research notes, cross-state comparison", "href": "/about" } } ] } ] }