Cotes take battle to Helena

RONAN — Ronan residents Will and Charlie Cote have battled autism for close to two years, and are continuing their fight this week in Helena, hoping on Monday to make another crucial push to fight to secure insurance coverage for the treatment of autism.

When their 3-year-old son Decker Cote’s name first appeared in the pages of the Leader, he wasn’t talking, but light had begun to shine again, beginning to diminish the dark and foreign world autism had pulled him into. The 17-hour tantrums and self-inflicted wounds consumed the family were finally easing thanks to ADA treatment and intense school session conducted around the clock by family and friends.

Today, he has responded so well to treatments that he’s going to Head Start for eight hours each week.

“The progress he’s made is phenomenal, he’s doing fantastic,” his mother Charlie said. Decker is now sleeping through the night without medication, no tantrums, he’s not hurting himself, she said. And if he wants something, he’ll show you what it is.

The more than $30,000 it costs the family per year to bring in out-of-state professional to work with Decker is an amount of money the family can’t continue to spend, Charlie said. Community support has been amazing and allowed the treatment to continue. The Valley Bank “A Dream for Decker” account is still accepting donations. But the Cote’s know that won’t last forever.

That’s why the Cotes continue to travel to Helena to lobby for Senate Bill 234, sponsored by Sen. Kim Gillian (D-Billings), which would add autism and its treatment as a condition requiring coverage by insurance companies.

The couple have made the trip several times this legislative session, joining parents from across the state who are also struggling to pay for the costs of treating an autistic child.

It was a “sweet” moment, Charlie said, when the bill passed second reading 35-14 on Feb. 23., but because of the fiscal attachment, must pass the Senate Finance and Claims Committee before it is transmitted to the House for its consideration.

Now though, it’s time for the senators to separate emotions and fact. Charlie believes the facts clearly show that early intervention is “incredibly cost effective and can save millions of dollars . . . and get kids into the mainstream,” making them indistinguishable” from their peers.

The finance committees extremely tight belt this year has the family worried.

“So many bills die in finance,” Charlie said. But she contends that the bill’s passage would have an immediate effect for the rapidly increasing number of families dealing with autism.

They will be at the hearing on Monday, making the case for their needs. The response in the senate so far has been favorable. Charlie doesn’t know what to expect if the bill passes to the House. She knows that she and Will are going to be there to fight for it.

“It would sure save our lives, I’ll tell you that,” Charlie said.

To track the progress of the SB 234 or to contact legislators to comment on legislation, go to www.leg.mt.gov and click “session information.”