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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

SB178

Changes to Early Intervention Services for Young Children

Last scannedSep 12, 2026, 4:46 AM

In one sentence

This law limits early intervention eligibility to children under three with confirmed developmental delays or disabilities, adds these services as an optional medical assistance benefit, and updates state planning requirements.

What it does

  • Removes eligibility for children under three who are only at risk of developmental delays, limiting core services to those with confirmed delays or disabilities.
  • Updates the list of optional benefits under the medical assistance program to include early intervention services for eligible children.
  • Amends state planning requirements by removing a specific mandate to establish training programs specifically for paraprofessionals serving these families.
  • Requires officials to review and recommend updates on disability conditions every five years in consultation with medical professionals.

Who it affects

  • Children under three years old who have developmental delays or disabilities
  • Families of children eligible for early intervention services
  • The state department responsible for health and social services

Limits and unknowns

  • The law states that providing these services depends on the availability of funding.
  • The exact effective date is listed as 'See Chapter' in the source, meaning it follows a separate legal publication.

Plain language

Terms to know

Early Intervention Services
Support programs designed to help young children with developmental delays or disabilities learn and grow.
Medical Assistance Program
A state program that provides health coverage, including optional services like therapy and case management.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES An Act relating to early intervention services for certain children; relating to optional services under the medical assistance program; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) FN4: (DOH)
  2. (H) FN3: (DOH)
  3. (H) FN(S) ATTACHED TO APPROP. BILL HB 265
  4. (H) LEG FINANCE APPROPRIATION MESSAGE 9/8/26
  5. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER3022
  6. (S) LAW W/O GOV SIGNATURE 6/18 CH 16 SLA 263022
  7. (S) 10:14 A.M. 6/1/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR2961
  8. (S) MANIFEST ERROR(S)2961
  9. (H) VERSION: CSSB 178(FIN)2729
  10. (H) RETURN TO (S), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT2729
  11. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE2728
  12. (H) PASSED Y39 N12728
  13. (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 178(FIN)2728
  14. (H) -- DISCHARGED-RULE 48(D) --Text
  15. (H) FINANCE at 09:00 AM ADAMS 519Text
  16. (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/17 CALENDAR2666
  17. (H) READ THE SECOND TIME2666
  18. (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/16/20262666
  19. (H) Moved CSSB 178(FIN) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time & Location Change --Text
  20. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 08:00 AM GRUENBERG 120Text