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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Madalena

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

02/12/07

HB 621

SHORT TITLE Early Intervention & Children’s Programs

SB

ANALYST Geisler

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$4,300.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

REVENUE (dollars in thousands)

Estimated Revenue

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

FY09

$1,211.7

$1,211.7 Recurring

Federal

Medicaid

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Revenue Decreases)

Duplicates: SB 549

Relates to: SB 92, HB 585

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 621, for the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee, would appropriate

$4.3 million to the Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program for Fiscal Year 2008. The funds would

be for quality services, inclusion of additional eligible children, and reimbursement of providers

for services rendered without compensation. Any unexpended or unencumbered funds

remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the general fund.

House Bill 621 – Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The $4.3 million proposed in this bill would be in addition to current base funding of

approximately $15.1 million in FY08. The executive budget recommendation for DOH proposes

a $1.25 million increase for the FIT program in FY08; the Legislative Finance Committee budget

recommendation proposes an increase of $1 million for FY08.

DOH estimates that approximately 942 more children will request services in FY08 at a total

general fund cost of $1,555,818. Approximately 565 of the 942 children would be eligible for

Medicaid at a total cost of $1,659,970 ($448,192 general fund share and $1,211,778 medicaid

share). The cost for the other 377 children would be $1,107,626 (100% general fund).

The balance of the appropriation ($2,744,182) would then be available for "quality services" and

"reimbursement of providers for services rendered without compensation" and any additional

children requesting services above this projection as directed by the bill.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

The FIT Program is the lead agency under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA) Part C for the administration of a statewide system of early intervention services for

infants and toddlers (birth to age 3), who have or are at risk for developmental delays or

disabilities. The FIT Program is an entitlement program for children and families who are

eligible in accordance with the Education of the Handicapped Act (28-18 NMSA 1978) and the

Requirements for Family Infant Toddler Early Intervention Services Act (7.30.8 NMAC).

The FIT Program utilizes State General Funds to fund early intervention services on a fee-for-

service basis through a statewide network of private and public provider agencies. The FIT

Program also pays the state match for early intervention services provided to children who are

Medicaid eligible. Additionally, the FIT Program utilizes the annual Federal IDEA Part C grant

and payments made through private insurance under the Senate Bill 589 passed in the 2005

Legislative session.

The FIT Program served 9,602 total infants and toddlers (birth to 3) and their families in Fiscal

Year 2006 and has experienced a growth of 9% in the children served through an Individualized

Family Service Plan (IFSP) compared to the previous year. This growth is a result of ongoing

child find and public awareness efforts made to medical, childcare, home-visiting and social

service providers. Additionally, the FIT Program continues to experience significant growth in

referrals as a result of changes in the Child Abuse Protection and Treatment Act (CAPTA) that

now mandates the referral of children under age 3 from CYFD when abuse or neglect are

substantiated.

DUPLICATION AND RELATIONSHIP

HB 621 is duplicated by SB 549. HB 621 relates to Senate Public Affairs Committee Substitute

for SB 92, which appropriates $1.8 million to DOH for the FIT program in FY07 and subsequent

years. HB 621 also relates to HB 585, which appropriates $1.8 million to DOH for the FIT

program in FY08 and subsequent years.

GG/mt