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The Alaska Senate approved a bill that would expand eligibility and services provided by early intervention programs for children experiencing developmental delays or disabilities.
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The Senate Health and Social Services committee sponsored the legislation, saying the state’s eligibility requirements for services are restrictive compared to the rest of the nation. “Under Alaska’s current restrictive eligibility structure, many healthcare providers hesitate to refer children for services because they are unsure if the child will meet the state’s stringent developmental delay requirements,” lawmakers wrote in a statement introducing the bill.
Senators unanimously passed Senate Bill 178 on Wednesday, and it now advances to the Alaska House for consideration.
Alaska parents and advocates have spotlighted Alaska’s growing need for early intervention services for families and children from infancy to age three. Infant learning programs that provide intervention services can include screening and assessments, targeted speech, movement and play therapies, as well as education and counseling for parents in child development. Research shows targeted interventions provide a wide variety of benefits for young children in their growth and development, and can reduce challenges and the need for special education services later in life.
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Under current Alaska law, children must demonstrate a 50% delay in order to be eligible for early intervention services. If passed, the legislation would reduce the requirement to a 25% delay, thus expanding eligibility for these types of services and interventions.
An estimated 1,800 Alaska families are served each year by 17 infant learning programs across the state, funded by the state of Alaska and federal Medicaid, at no cost to families.
Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, said Wednesday on the Senate floor the underlying goal of the bill is to expand access. “We know that early interventions will reduce the need for intensive interventions later in life,” she said, and urged lawmakers to consider the proposal a compounding investment.
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