New York legislators are backing new bills that could significantly improve services for residents with speech and reading challenges, according to Spectrum News. Advocates, including ex-NBA player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, rallied in Albany to support a measure requiring insurers to fully cover speech therapy for those who stutter.
The proposal has advanced through key committees and appears to face little resistance, with insurance groups largely staying neutral. In a parallel effort, lawmakers and families marked Dyslexia Advocacy Day by supporting bills to require early screening and teacher training to better identify and address reading-related learning disorders.
With the legislative session winding down, officials are pushing to pass the reforms, pointing to alarming literacy rates and the need for earlier intervention, especially in underserved and incarcerated populations.
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