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NEWS: Alaska Legislature Passes Bill to Expand Early Intervention Services for Young Children
Alaska Legislature Passes Bill to Expand Early Intervention Services for Young Children
JUNEAU, AK – On Sunday, the Alaska State Legislature passed Senate Bill 178, which expands access to the state's Infant Learning Program (ILP) for children with developmental delays. The bill was sponsored by the Senate Health and Social Services Committee and championed by the Alaska Legislature's Children's Caucus.
Alaska currently requires a child to show a 50 percent developmental delay to qualify for the ILP, one of the nation's most restrictive standards. Under that threshold, a two-year-old must function at the level of a one-year-old to receive services. Many children with real needs, whose delays are clinically recognized, are turned away. Today in Alaska, one in four children who need intervention services is missing out, compared with the national average.
Senate Bill 178 lowers the eligibility threshold from 50 percent to 25 percent, which mirrors the standard already used for special education services in Alaska. This change will allow children who need ILP services to enter the program earlier. This is when intervention is most effective and least costly. The bill also allows the ILP to access additional federal Medicaid funding, reducing reliance on state general funds over time. The Department of Health will be required to review the list of qualifying disability conditions and submit a report to the Legislature by July 1, 2029.
"Early intervention is crucial for the long-term health and wellness of our most vulnerable youth, and it is far less costly than waiting. A child served through the Infant Learning Program costs one-tenth as much as it takes to provide equivalent services after age three. This will ensure children who need services can get them before delays compound and costs grow," said Senator Löki Tobin (D-Anchorage), Co-Chair of the Alaska Children’s Caucus.
"Alaska has been telling families their child is not delayed enough to receive help. The reality is children do not get a second chance at vital early brain development. When we miss that window, the child is impacted for life. We pay for it in special education costs, in lost potential for these young lives, and unattained goals for these young people,” said Senator Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage), Co-Chair of the Alaska Children’s Caucus. “The Children's Caucus identified the gap and made closing it a priority this session. This is the right investment in Alaska’s future.”
National data show that 46 percent of children who complete ILP services by age three do not require special education in kindergarten. The yearly cost of serving a child through the ILP is about one-tenth the cost of providing equivalent services after age three. Studies show a return of $2.05 to $17.07 for every dollar invested in early intervention.
"This bill will help thousands of children and is a reform that all Alaskans can be proud of. Our current threshold has produced a system that waits until a child's needs are severe before stepping in, which costs more and fails to deliver the necessary intervention when it is most needed. This policy aligns our eligibility standard with our special education standard and puts the youngest Alaskans on better footing for success in their educational careers," said Senator Forrest Dunbar (D-Anchorage), Chair of the Senate Health and Social Services Committee.
Senate Bill 178 is based on recommendations from the Alaska Department of Health's Interagency Coordinating Council and was developed with input from providers, families, and disability advocates across the state.
Senate Bill 178 will now be transmitted to the Governor for his signature.
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