Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2340 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to fund the increased costs of contracted early intervention services for infants and toddlers from birth to age three who have or are at risk for developmental delays.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the State Council of Developmental Disabilities, the Hawaii Medical Association, and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

The Department of Health must carry out its obligations to provide early intervention services for children age zero to three years with a developmental delay or biological or environmental risk for a developmental delay, as mandated by part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) (P.L. 108-446), sections 321-351 to 321-357, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the Hawaii early intervention state plan. The IDEA requires that all children referred to early intervention purchase-of-service (POS) programs due to a developmental concern or biological risk receive a multi-disciplinary comprehensive developmental evaluation (CDE). This CDE requirement has resulted in increased costs for POS programs because more children are being referred to them from fee-for-service providers. In addition, the POS programs must comply with the IDEA requirement that children are to be served in "natural environments" or community-based settings. While this requirement is effective, it also is more costly than the center-based programs of previous years.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2340 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.