§ 28:470 — Louisiana State Interagency Coordinating Council for EarlySteps: Louisiana's Early

§470. Louisiana State Interagency Coordinating Council for EarlySteps: Louisiana's Early
Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and Their Families
A. The Louisiana State Interagency Coordinating Council for EarlySteps: Louisiana's
Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and Their Families is
hereby created within the Louisiana Department of Health. All council members shall be
appointed by the governor who shall also appoint the chairperson. No member of the council
who is a representative of the department may serve as the chairperson of the council. At
least twenty percent of the members shall be parents of infants or toddlers with disabilities
or children with disabilities age twelve or younger, with knowledge of or experience with
programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and at least twenty percent of the
members shall be public or private providers of early intervention services.
B. The council shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) At least one member shall be a parent of either of the following:
(a) An infant or toddler with disabilities.
(b) A child with disabilities age six or younger.
(2) At least one member shall be an elected member of the Louisiana Legislature.
(3) At least one member shall be involved in the preparation and training of early
intervention providers to become qualified to provide services.
(4) Members in the number of one each from each state agency involved in the
provision of or payment for early intervention services to infants and toddlers with
disabilities and their families, including Medicaid, and such members shall have sufficient
authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of their respective
agencies.
(5) At least one member shall be from the office of the Louisiana Department of
Education which is responsible for preschool services to children with disabilities and who
shall have sufficient authority to engage in policy planning and implementation on behalf of
such agency.
(6) At least one member shall be from the Louisiana Department of Insurance.
(7) At least one member shall be from a Head Start agency or program.
(8) At least one member shall be from the Louisiana Department of Children and
Family Services.
(9) At least one member designated by the Louisiana Department of Education who
is responsible for coordination of the education of homeless children and youth.
(10) One member from the Department of Children and Family Services who is
responsible for foster care.
(11) One member from the Louisiana Department of Health, office of behavioral
health.
(12) Any other members duly appointed by the governor.
C. The council shall meet at least quarterly and in such places as it deems necessary.
The meetings shall be publicly announced and to the extent appropriate, open, and accessible
to the general public.
D.(1) Subject to the approval of the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health,
the council may prepare and approve a budget using funds provided pursuant to the
provisions of this Chapter to conduct hearings and forums; to reimburse members of the
council for reasonable and necessary expenses, including child care for parent
representatives, for attending council meetings and performing council duties; and to pay
compensation to a member of the council if the member is not employed or must forfeit
wages from other employment when performing official council business.
(2) The council shall use funds provided pursuant to this Chapter to hire an executive
director who shall be responsible to and report directly to the council and the secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Health to carry out its functions pursuant to this Chapter. The
executive director shall be hired as an unclassified employee of the Louisiana Department
of Health, office for citizens with developmental disabilities. The executive director shall
provide administrative support to the state interagency council and shall act as a resource to
the state interagency coordinating council regarding the EarlySteps Program. The council
may also use funds provided pursuant to this Chapter to obtain the services of other such
professional, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out its functions
as provided in this Chapter.
E.(1) The council shall have the following duties:
(a) To advise and assist the department in the performance of responsibilities
established pursuant to this Chapter, particularly the identification of sources of fiscal and
other support for services for early intervention programs, assignment of financial
responsibility to the appropriate agency, and the promotion of interagency agreements.
(b) To advise and assist the department in the preparation of applications and
amendments thereto.
(c) To advise and assist the department relative to the transition of toddlers with
disabilities to preschool and other appropriate services.
(d) To prepare and submit an annual report to the governor and to the United States
Secretary of Education on the status of early intervention programs for infants and toddlers
with disabilities and their families operated within the state.
(e) To prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislature of Louisiana on the
status of the early intervention program of this state for infants and toddlers with disabilities
and their families.
(2) The council may advise appropriate agencies in the state with respect to the
integration of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and at-risk infants and
toddlers and their families, regardless of whether at-risk infants and toddlers are eligible for
early intervention services in the state.
F. No member of the council shall cast a vote on any matter which would provide
direct financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of
interest.

Legislative History

Acts 2013, No. 417, §1, eff. June 21, 2013; Acts 2018, No. 206, §1; Acts 2024, No. 240, §1, eff. May 23, 2024.