Terms and Conditions of P-ESDM Autism Scholarship, Unicorn Children’s Foundation
Please read these Terms and Conditions before applying for the Parent Coaching in the Early Start Denver Model(P-ESDM) autism scholarship. By applying for the P-ESDM autism scholarship, Applicant agrees that he/she has read, agrees to, and accepts the Terms and Conditions of the P-ESDM autism scholarship program of the Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Inc.
When used in these Terms and Conditions, on scholarship–related web pages, documents, or materials, the following words, whether used individually, collectively, or interchangeably, are defined as indicated. (1) “Scholarship,” “P-ESDM autism scholarship,” “autism scholarship,” or “scholarship award,” are defined as a Parent Coaching in the Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM) autism scholarship award of up to approximately $3.400 granted by Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Inc. and applied directly to cover costs of 14 parent coaching sessions conducted by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst/ESDM Certified Therapist of Early Start Autism LLC (aka Early Start Therapy LLC) via Telehealth. (2) “Scholarship program,” or “autism scholarship program” refers to and encompasses, but is not limited to, the application, review, processing, selection, non-selection, notifications, and parent coaching sessions for Parent Coaching in the Early Start Denver Model (P-ESDM). (3) “Applicant” for a P-ESDM scholarship MUST be a “Parent,” or “Legal Guardian” of the child for whom application is being made and is defined as a person (or persons) who applied for and may be selected as a Finalist or as a Recipient of a scholarship for their child or a child for whom they are legally responsible, which child has or is awaiting a diagnosis of autism. (4) “Unicorn” is defined as “Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Inc.,” a Florida nonprofit corporation. (5) “Scholarship Finalist” or “Finalist” is defined as a person (or persons) from whom a selection will be made for award of an autism scholarship from applications received by Unicorn prior to the close of a scheduled Open Enrollment period. (6) “Scholarship Recipient” or “award Recipient” or “Recipient” are defined as a person (or persons) awarded or selected to receive an autism scholarship from applications received by Unicorn.
Any scholarship awarded, of up to approximately $3,400 per scholarship, will be applied directly to cover costs of 14 parent coaching sessions conducted by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst/ESDM Certified Therapist of Early Start Autism LLC. No scholarship sums will be paid to a scholarship Recipient. Scholarship has no cash value. Each Recipient awarded an autism scholarship is expected to pay to Unicorn online in one lump-sum payment a minimal fee (currently $140) towards the cost of the scholarship. Ranking and consideration will be given to the application if an Applicant provided a verifiable valid reason on application as to why Applicant is unable to pay the minimal fee
Scholarship applications may be submitted at any time by email to: scholarship@eunicorn.org and will be considered during the next scheduled Open Enrollment period as established by Unicorn. Scholarship Open Enrollment periods may be held several times in a one-year time frame, contingent upon availability of funds. Currently, Open Enrollment periods are scheduled twice yearly on May 1-31 and October 1-31. Interested persons are encouraged to visit Unicorn’s website frequently for any updates and/or changes in scheduled Open Enrollment dates.
Applicant/Finalist/Recipient agrees and provides express consent to be contacted through the use of electronic communications via email, telephone, wireless phone, and texting for the P-ESDM autism scholarship program and any of its related materials, including but not limited to, scholarship program application, required documentation, review, processing, selection, non-selection, notifications, scanning and emailing, texting, and making online payment.
To apply: Applicant must complete all questions, sign and date the online application, and click the “Submit” button. Incomplete applications may be disqualified.
All scholarship applications will be handled in a confidential manner.
Age Requirement: Minimum age of child is 12 months old and maximum age is 52 months old at the END of the Open Enrollment period in which applying. An Applicant over 48 months and not more than 52 months of age may be considered an alternate Applicant. If child does not meet age requirements, child is Not Eligible to participate.
Award is limited to one scholarship per child with autism in a family during an enrollment period. A second child with autism in the same family is eligible to apply for a separate scholarship during a different enrollment period.
Unicorn reserves the right to verify all information contained on the application and to request additional information.
Applicant must state on application the total current and prior year annual gross income of the family household. Family household includes all adults and all children living in the same house with the child with autism. To qualify for an autism scholarship, total current annual gross income of the family household is limited to a maximum of $250,000.00.
If selected as a Finalist, Applicant will be notified at the email address provided on their application, and Applicant MUST respond within 48 hours by email to scholarship@eunicorn.org to accept or decline Finalist status or Applicant will be withdrawn from consideration of an autism scholarship award.
If Applicant accepts Finalist status, Applicant MUST furnish all additional documents requested by the assigned deadline, or Applicant will be withdrawn for consideration of an autism scholarship award.
If Applicant accepts Finalist status, Applicant MUST submit directly to Unicorn’s Financial Manager the prior year federal income tax return(s) for all members of the family household for income verification. Special instructions will be provided to each Finalist for submission of tax returns.
If Applicant accepts Finalist status, before being allowed to attend parent coaching sessions, Applicant MUST submit to Unicorn (or its authorized representative) a signed and dated Release form for each Parent, Legal Guardian, Caretaker, or other adult who will attend parent coaching sessions.
If Applicant accepts Finalist status and child has a diagnosis of autism, Applicant MUST furnish to Unicorn documentation of diagnosis of autism. If child is awaiting diagnosis of autism, Applicant agrees to furnish documentation of diagnosis to Unicorn promptly after receipt.
If selected as a Recipient, the Applicant/Finalist will be notified at the email address provided on their application, and the Applicant/Finalist MUST respond within 48 hours by email to scholarship@eunicorn.org to accept or decline Recipient status or Applicant/Finalist will be withdrawn from consideration of an autism scholarship award.
If selected as a Recipient, within 48 hours, Recipient is expected to pay online to Unicorn one lump-sum payment (currently $140), a minimal portion towards the cost of the scholarship (unless previously determined unable to pay, see Terms and Conditions, paragraph 3).
ESDM Therapist will contact Finalist/Recipient to review and coordinate available times for scheduling parent coaching sessions. Coaching sessions are typically scheduled for 1 hour and 45 minutes each, usually on Monday or Friday during normal business hours, once or twice weekly. A scholarship is not transferable and it must be used during the period in which it is awarded. If a mutually agreeable schedule cannot be reached, the Finalist/Recipient will not be considered for award of an autism scholarship and if an autism scholarship has been awarded, it will be forfeited or terminated and all fees paid by Applicant/Finalist/Recipient will be refunded providing parent coaching sessions have not begun.
If selected as a Recipient, at least one parent (with child) MUST complete all 14 parent coaching sessions and Recipient MUST attend (with child) a minimum of 12 sessions. Parent coaching sessions are limited to no more than two adults attending with the child. Siblings are not included in the parent coaching sessions unless under the age of 1 and special permission by ESDM Therapist is approved and granted in advance.
Applicant/Finalist/Recipient and other attendees must agree to participate in all virtual Telehealth appointments. The parent is coached while actively engaging with their child.
Applicant/Finalist/Recipient agrees to arrive BEFORE or AT the scheduled appointment time for parent coaching sessions. Excessive or repeated tardiness risks loss of scholarship.
A Recipient who receives an autism scholarship award and each additional adult attending parent coaching sessions, must agree to complete a brief pre-evaluation form at the start of parent coaching sessions and both a brief post-evaluation form online plus a post-survey form online either before completion or immediately following completion of all 14 parent coaching sessions. Additionally, the Recipient must agree to complete a brief follow-up questionnaire annually for up to four years from date of completion of the P-ESDM autism scholarship program to track educational setting and type of services the child may be receiving.
Recipient and other attendees understand and agree that all fees paid to Unicorn will be forfeited if any one of the following conditions are not met: (1) at least one parent (with child) MUST complete all 14 parent coaching sessions, (2) the Recipient (with child) MUST complete at least 12 of the parent coaching sessions, and (3) the online post-evaluation and post-survey forms MUST be completed individually both by the Recipient and additional attendees prior to completion or immediately following completion of parent coaching sessions.
Within 60 days after completion of all 14 parent coaching sessions, and provided all three conditions in Terms and Conditions, paragraph 25 above have been met, Recipient will be reimbursed some or all of the $140 fee that Recipient paid to Unicorn upon acceptance, contingent upon availability of autism scholarship funds. Any additional fees paid for credit card charges are not refundable. Recipient may choose to designate as a donation all or any portion of the $140 fee that was paid to the non-profit Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Inc., and the donated amount will remain in the autism scholarship fund to aid in financing future autism scholarship awards.
Recipient agrees to the use of written or verbal testimonials of Recipient, or other Parent or Legal Guardian or Caretaker or Child (containing no personal identifying information), for publicity or media purposes, online or print, by Unicorn or Early Start Autism LLC without notice or obligation or compensation to Child or Recipient or Child’s or Recipient’s representatives, or agents.
A separate Release must be signed by at least one Parent/Legal Guardian to allow or not allow taking and use of photographs, videotapes, and audio tapes.
An Applicant selected as a Recipient is not allowed to defer acceptance to use the scholarship for parent coaching sessions in a future enrollment period. If scholarship is declined for the period in which it was offered, Applicant must reapply by submitting an updated application for consideration in a future Open Enrollment period.
The Unicorn autism scholarship website may hyperlink to websites not maintained by, related to, sponsored by, or affiliated with Unicorn or Early Start Autism LLC or their respective websites. Hyperlinks are provided as a service to users. Unicorn and Early Start Autism LLC make no endorsements or representations or warranties about the content, completeness, or accuracy of those third-party websites. Any information that Applicant/Finalist/Recipient may submit at a third-party website accessible from the Unicorn website is subject to the terms and policies of that third-party website.
Unicorn, its officers, directors, contractors, or agents and Early Start Autism LLC, its owners and officers will not be liable for interruption or rescheduling or cancellation or failure to provide P-ESDM autism scholarship program services for any reason.
Applicant/Finalist/Recipient/Parent/Legal Guardian/Caretaker/Child (and Parent/Legal Guardian on behalf of Child) agree to indemnify, release, and hold harmless Unicorn, its officers, directors, employees, partners, contractors, agents, affiliates, successors, or subsidiaries, and each of their officers, employees, or agents, and Early Start Autism LLC, its owners, officers, directors, employees, partners, contractors, agents, affiliates, successors, or subsidiaries, of all liability and responsibility against any and all claims, losses, liability, damages, and expenses, costs, and charges of any kind, including reasonable legal fees, in connection with, arising from, or in any way, related to, the P-ESDM autism scholarship program and application process. This hold harmless includes, but is not limited to, any violation by Applicant/Finalist/Recipient or Applicant/Finalist/Recipient’s dependents which arises from occupancy or usage of facility space and/or its surroundings used for scholarship parent coaching sessions, or as a result of use, misuse, or failure of equipment, devices, or materials displayed, furnished to, or used by Applicant/Finalist/Recipient or Applicant/Finalist/Recipient’s dependents, or other persons in connection with the P-ESDM autism scholarship program.
Unicorn, its officers, directors, or employees are not eligible for the Unicorn P-ESDM autism scholarship.
Unicorn reserves the right to adopt in writing any additional terms or conditions that Unicorn deems necessary in the best interests of the autism scholarship program. Such additional terms or conditions shall become effective immediately or on such later date as may be specified therein and from time to time will be incorporated into the Terms and Conditions posted on the autism scholarship website. It is Applicant/Finalist/Recipient’s responsibility to review the Terms and Conditions on the autism scholarship website periodically for any updates. Applicant/Finalist/Recipient’s use of the Unicorn autism scholarship and/or its website after any changes are posted to the Terms and Conditions constitutes agreement to those changes by Applicant/Finalist/Recipient.
Certain actions by Applicant/Finalist/Recipient and other attendees may result in loss of a scholarship award, including but not limited to, lack of response to requests from Unicorn (or its representatives) for information or documentation, excessive or repeated tardiness, unapproved cancellation or unexcused absence from scheduled parent coaching sessions, lack of cooperation, or behavior that is deemed inappropriate, continually disruptive, hazardous, or unsafe.
Applicant/Finalist/Recipient agrees to arrive BEFORE or AT the scheduled appointment time for parent coaching sessions. Excessive or repeated tardiness risks loss of scholarship.
Recipient or other adult attendee will provide a minimum of 36 hours notice to ESDM Therapist IN ADVANCE by BOTH telephone (or text) AND email if cancellation is necessary. Family emergencies and extenuating circumstances may arise and will be assessed accordingly. Only one session will be permitted to be rescheduled by Recipient or family of scholarship Recipient during the 14-week schedule. Cancellations that exceed this limit may result in loss of the scholarship
If Applicant/Finalist/Recipient fails to provide requested information or documentation or fee by an assigned deadline, or fails to comply with requirements of the Terms and Conditions of the Unicorn autism scholarship program, Applicant/Finalist/Recipient will not be considered for award of an autism scholarship and if an autism scholarship has been awarded, it will be forfeited or terminated and all fees paid will be forfeited.
If autism scholarship is canceled, revoked, or lost for any reason after parent coaching sessions have begun, all fees Applicant/Finalist/Recipient paid to Unicorn are automatically forfeited.
Unicorn reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time and for any reason, to determine eligibility, to select or non-select Finalists and Recipients, to award autism scholarships, or to decline scholarship applications, and to modify, amend, rescind, suspend, terminate, or cancel autism scholarship awards, or parent coaching services either before, during, or after they have begun, and to make all decisions with regard to all aspects of the Unicorn P-ESDM autism scholarship program and/or autism scholarship awards.
Any matters not expressly provided herein shall be decided by Unicorn (or its authorized representative) and all decisions are final.