What expenses are allowable for a child with special needs (DSSR 276.8)?
A – A Special Needs Education Allowance is available for children who are covered under Public Law 105-17, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Once eligibility is established by a competent education or medical authority (for Department of State employees MED/ECS), the same allowable expenses specified under DSSR 277 apply equally to the special needs child unless DSSR 276.8 provides otherwise. To ensure eligibility, parents should work closely with the Department of State’s Office of Medical Services Employee Consultation Service (M/MED/ECS), which deals extensively with such cases. (Other agency employees should consult their agency’s Medical Office.) Eligible children are covered by this special needs allowance from birth to the 21st birthday. Items allowed must be clearly called for by an established Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) rather than recommended by the school or parent as desirable. In lieu of the post’s establi
