Pediatric care program in College Park prepares to close

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A national health care company says admissions to a pediatric care program in Georgia are so low that they have to shut down their day care locations in the state.

"When you get news like this, it gets worse," said Tamika Taylor.

Tamika Taylor is a single mother with a part-time job. Her full-time job is Brycen, her 3-year-old son with special needs.

"He's trach dependent. He has a mild to moderate case of cerebral palsy and he eats through a G-tube. They (nurses) are here and they are slowly teaching him how to eat by mouth,"  Taylor told Channel 2's Craig Lucie.

Taylor depends on the medically-fragile day care when she can't always be there for Brycen, but next month it's closing for good.

"It was just very disappointing. It hurts. It really hurts because these people here, they really care about our children," said Taylor.

In a letter that Taylor and other parents received from PSA Healthcare's Daycare Director it says: "It is with great regret that I write to inform you that we are closing our medically-fragile day care centers in Georgia effective Dec. 20, 2013."

"The director told me they were closing due to financial reasons due to Medicaid and GAPP (Georgia Pediatric Program) funding," explained Taylor.

PSA Healthcare sent Channel 2 Action News this statement, "We have great empathy for those who are affected by this. Over the past two years, admissions to the Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Program (PPEC) in Georgia have been steadily declining. Admissions are now too few to make the centers economically viable.

"I think it's an excuse to have to cut back on the costs," said Taylor.

A spokeswoman for PSA Healthcare also told Lucie that they are assisting their families to find alternative care.

Taylor is now worried about her son's future. "This is not stuff he just needs to have. This helps preserve his life and growth," said Taylor.

PSA is offering these families in-home cursing care.

WSBTV