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SPONSOR: |
Lopez |
DATE TYPED: |
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HB |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Expand Early Intervention Services |
SB |
SJM 16 |
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ANALYST: |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
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FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
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Indeterminate |
See Narrative |
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Responses
Received From
Department
of Health (DOH)
Health
Policy Commission (HPC)
Board
of Nursing (BN)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
SJM16 requests the Department of Health to create a task force to study ways to expand referrals by medical personnel for early intervention services earlier in the life of a child. The task force must include representation from advocate groups, providers and parents of developmentally disabled children, as well as appropriate medical personnel.
The findings of this task force must be reported
to the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee by its October 2003
meeting.
Significant
Issues
SJM16 recognizes the following information on
early childhood intervention:
·
Early
intervention services for developmentally disabled children are needed from the
moment of birth.
·
The
earlier children are identified as developmentally disabled and begin receiving
services, the more likely they are to be able to live independent and
self-directed lives.
·
Families
of developmentally disabled children are often overburdened and lack the
knowledge and resources to provide optimal care for these children.
·
The
Department of Health operates a program of early intervention services called
CAREarly.
·
Medical
professionals often do not identify developmental disabilities early enough in
the child's life to make a timely referral to this program.
·
Earliest
referral for these children means maximizing the opportunities for growth and
development of the child.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
DOH states that the
provisions of SJM 16 would require a substantial investment of time by personnel
or contract resources to complete this study. Additional funding is required.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
DOH needs additional
staff or a contractor to conduct the study required by SJM 16.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
·
The DOH Early Intervention Program currently has
over 6,000 children enrolled who are either being evaluated or receiving
treatment. The average age of these
children was 15.3 months in FY02.
·
The program has grown by 22% over the last two
years, but program staff are concerned that there are many developmentally
disabled and at-risk children who are not yet being reached and that the DOH is
not meeting federal standards for children in some categories.
·
The program has received an increase in funding,
but is still experiencing difficulties with referrals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some health
care providers and parents adopt a “wait and see” approach that can cause a
critical delay in seeking out appropriate services. The task force proposed by SJM16 would enable
all the participants in the infant health arena to collaboratively explore ways
to ensure that more children get the services they need at an early enough age
to be most effective.
·
Early intervention programs provide children
from birth to age three with therapeutic services designed to prevent disorders
that may stem from genetic conditions or adverse circumstance and to ameliorate
developmental delays
at as early a point as possible. Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cleft lip and
palate are all conditions identifiable at birth or soon thereafter. Children
with any of these conditions--or any combinations of them--are typical of the children
referred to early intervention programs.
·
Early intervention specialists and therapists
may be able to reduce some of the family stresses related raising developmentally
disabled children by providing an opportunity for the developmentally disabled child
and family members to learn daily living skills that can assist all involved.
·
Early intervention may provide a foundation for
the development of life skills that may be more easily learned by a young
child.
·
Early intervention may present an opportunity
for the child and family members to receive specialized counseling that may
reduce future problems.
·
Early intervention may result in a young
person’s development that may prevent costly institutionalization during the
child’s adolescent or adult years.
·
Early intervention may provide the child with
skills and confidence that allow, as an adult, a semi-independent and
productive lifestyle.
DW/ls