No. All related services must be provided without any charge to the parent/guardian/other education rights holder. In most cases, your local district is responsible for providing the related services directly or by contracting with appropriate persons.

Under California law occupational and physical therapy needed by a child for both medical and educational reasons is currently provided by California Children’s Services.^[1][2]

If California Children’s Services stopped providing therapy services for whatever reason, and you can demonstrate that your child still needs the services as part of their special education, the school district is responsible for providing the therapy services even if that means contracting for them with another organization.^[3] Disputes regarding occupational or physical therapy services are resolved in the same manner as disputes about any other part of your child’s special education program.^[4]

1. Cal. Gov. Code Secs. 7572 and 7575.[↩]
2. See Chapter 9, Information on Inter-Agency Services (AB 3632).[↩]
3. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 300.154(b).[↩]
4. See Chapter 6, Information on Due Process/Compliance Procedures.[↩]