Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; program extension.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the services children can receive or funding availability.

Early Intervention Program for Young Children

This bill directs Virginia's Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to implement the federal extension option for the Early Intervention Program, allowing children up to five years old to receive services.

What This Bill Does

• Directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to implement the federal extension option for the Early Intervention Program.
• Allows children aged five or younger who need it to get services through this program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Children up to age five who have disabilities or delays in development.
• Parents of young children who need early intervention services.
• The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and other state agencies involved with child welfare.

Terms To Know

Early Intervention Program

A program that helps infants and toddlers with disabilities or delays in development get the services they need to grow and learn better.

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)

The state agency responsible for providing mental health, intellectual disability, and other developmental services.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is not clear how much funding will be available to support the extension of this program.
• The bill does not specify what kind of services children up to five years old can receive through the program.

Official Summary Text

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; program extension.
Directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to take all steps necessary to implement the federal extension option for the federal Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities to allow children five years of age or younger to receive services through such program.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to direct the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to implement the federal extension option for the federal Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities to allow children five years of age or younger to receive services through such program.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
That the Department
of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
(DB
HD
S)
shall
implement the federal extension option
for
the federal Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
to
allow
children
five
years of age or younger
to
receive
services through such program
.
In doing so,
DB
HD
S shall take all steps necessary to implement

such extension option, including
indicating the intention to implement the federal extension on i
ts
annual
IDEA Part C grant application,
developing a joint policy with the Department of Education
and the federal Office of Special Education Programs
,
and
review
ing
and revising current polic
ies
as necessary.