During an emotional briefing with state legislators yesterday, school superintendent Pat Hamamoto reassured parents of children with autism that the Department of Education does not intend to get rid of private service contractors, and is putting into effect emergency contracts to help with some of the transitions for children.

"We do understand what parents go through," Hamamoto said. "We are looking at emergency contracts to look at those children who need help in the transition."

The DOE is in the midst of changing three of 11 private contracts for intensive services to the 1,165 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the public schools.

The contract changes are part of an attempt by the DOE to upgrade and improve services, but some families say the effect has been to bring unnecessary and traumatic change to their children's programs.

Three companies lost their contracts, affecting 307 of the children, and one — Alaka'i Na Keiki — filed suit.

A hearing in district court yesterday failed to stop the changes, and as of tomorrow, new contracts go into effect.

DOE spokesman Greg Knudsen said late yesterday that 26 children will be served by emergency short-term contracts during the transition. And he said that in many cases children may remain with the same skills trainer because some personnel are changing agencies.

The changeover has traumatized many families, who told legislators wrenching stories of how the changes will create major setbacks for their children.

"When Sai is unable to deal with situations, he digs out his teeth," parent Kim Uluave told legislators through tears, talking about her 6-year-old whose therapeutic team is being dismantled because of service criteria changes.

"There is no transition in place," Uluave said, "and they have been unable to find a suitable replacement who is adequately trained to work with Sai."

Caroline Kong said her 9-year-old daughter, Grace, will lose the trainer who has been her mentor for three years and helped her blossom into a secure little girl. Overnight the trainer is gone, said Kong, creating "irreparable damage" to her daughter's programs.

"My child has been caused untold distress and sorrow," said Kong, bursting into tears.

Another parent, Clarrie Selbe, said her 7-year-old son has come to love and trust his trainer, who is employed by the Alaka'i Na Keiki agency whose contract was not renewed.

"It will be a horrible setback for him," Selbe said. "I can't imagine what it will do to him."

In 2002 the DOE took over services to children with autism from the Department of Health in the wake of the Felix consent decree. While the DOE said no services will diminish to the children, the Autism Society of Hawai'i is concerned that services are being eroded.

Hamamoto said that isn't true, telling legislators the autism budget is increasing to better provide services to children.

"We're not about cutting or reducing services," she said.

Board of Education member Karen Knudsen said that the board is "very concerned this is a smooth transfer."

She also told legislators that when services for autistic children moved from the DOH to the DOE, adequate funding didn't follow.

Contracts for service providers are costing the DOE $36.2 million this year, according to Hamamoto, and are projected to increase to $41.5 million next year and $45.5 million in 2007. And there's already a $10 million shortfall in that funding.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.