Floortime Setback in CA

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Families with autistic children in eastern Los Angeles County have filed a class-action lawsuit against the nonprofit agency that provides them with state-funded services, alleging that it had illegally discontinued their therapy for the disorder.

The agency, the Eastern Los Angeles County Regional Center, informed more than 100 families late last summer that their children were losing the therapy -- known as the DIR model, or "developmental, individual difference, relationship-based" -- as a result of state budget cuts.

The therapy is the basis for a popular treatment known as Floortime, in which a therapist follows a child's lead during play activities to build communication and social interaction skills.

Filing the suit were attorneys from Public Counsel and Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.

More on the suit here.