Resolve, To Improve Access to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Children from Birth to 8 Years of Age
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1635
Committee Amendment CA_A_S182 (Senate)
Committee: Health and Human Services

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "(i-" to S.P. 524, L.D. 1635, "Resolve, To Improve 
Access to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Children 
from Birth to 8 Years of Age" 
Amend the resolve by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
Department of Health and Human Services to convene a 
stakeholder group. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with the Department of Education, shall convene a stakeholder group to 
determine the capacity of the State to respond to its child fmd responsibilities as required 
under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and to provide early and 
periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment services, referred to in this resolve as 
"screening, diagnostic and treatment services," to children from birth to 8 years of age, 
the gaps in services and the costs of addressing those gaps. The Department of Health 
and Human Services shall coordinate the collection and analysis of data from across the 
department and from organizations that conduct developmental screenings or offer 
services or treatment to children from birth to 8 years of age, including through Head 
Start programs, Early Head Start programs, the Child Development Services System as 
defmed in section 7001, public health nursing organizations, the Department of Health 
and Human Services' home visiting service and the Department of Education. 
The 
Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report with the findings to the 
Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. The report must include the 
following: 
1. Data on the number, ages and geographic locations of children from birth to 8 
years of age receiving screening, diagnostic and treatment services; 
2. The capacity of the State to ensure that all children from birth to 8 years of age 
who require screening, diagnostic and treatment services are located and receive services; 
3. Current levels of federal and state funding designated or available to support child 
find services, screening, diagnostic and treatment services and early intervention and 
special education services for children from birth to 8 years of age; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENT"t\"toS.P.524,L.D.1635 {. c \ 
4. Barriers that impede access to child fmd and screening, diagnostic and treatment 
services; 
5. Data on the disposition of referrals of children from birth to 8 years of age at high 
risk of developmental delay or disability who are screened and eligible for either child 
development services or screening, diagnostic and treatment services, including how 
many receive needed services and how many do not receive those services by county; 
6. 
Shortages of providers of child find and screening, diagnostic and treatment 
services including a breakdown by county of those shortages and a breakdown by specific 
service; 
7. An assessment of the State's efforts to provide comprehensive developmental 
screening for children from birth to 8 years of age with reference to the recommendations 
of the American Academy of Pediatrics; 
8. An assessment of the deficits in the State's efforts to provide comprehensive 
developmental screening; 
9. An estimate of the costs to address the shortages in child find and screening, 
diagnostic and treatment services and any recommendations to ensure or expand services 
so that all children from birth to 8 years of age are adequately served regardless of health 
insurance status, age, geographic location or type of developmental delay or disability 
identified; 
10. A review of existing reports from the past 10 years from organizations that 
screen for developmental delay or provide services or treatment to children from birth to 
years of age to review existing data, strengths and challenges of programs providing 
early intervention services; 
11. Additional data needed to assess the State's child find and screening, diagnostic 
and treatment services; and 
12. Information on other states that have had success in providing child find and 
screening, diagnostic and treatment services to children from birth to 8 years of age and 
their families. 
The Department of Health and Human Services shall submit the report no later than 
December 30, 2019. The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may 
report out legislation relating to the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular 
Session of the 129th Legislature.' 
Amend the resolve by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUl.VllVIARY 
This amendment requires the Department of Health and Human Services to convene 
a stakeholder group rather than convene the participants of the federally funded 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" Pf' to S.P. 524, L.D. 1635 ( 
\ (~J) 
Developmental Systems Integration initiative. It also adds additional requirements to the 
report submitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/24/19 feac 
LD 1635 
LR 451(02) 
Resolve, To Improve Access to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services for 
Children from Birth to 8 Years of Age 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'ii~' i ~' 
':"" -~~ \ 
'----' _,, 
I 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to convene the stakeholder group and report 
back to the legislature are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR045 I (02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I