(a) (1) There is a Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program in the Department.
(2) The purpose of the Program is to provide a statewide, community–based interagency system of comprehensive early intervention services to eligible infants and toddlers, from birth until the beginning of the school year following a child’s 4th birthday, and their families.
(b) The Department shall be the lead agency for supervising and monitoring the Program.
(c) The Program shall include the early intervention services provided or supervised by the Department, the Maryland Department of Health, including the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program established under Title 13, Subtitle 6 of the Health – General Article, and the Department of Human Services.
(d) The Program shall be administered in accord with the applicable requirements of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other applicable federal and State laws.
(e) An interagency coordinating council shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall:
(1) Advise and assist the Department in the supervision and monitoring of the Program; and
(2) Submit an annual report to the Governor and the federal government.
(f) Local lead agencies shall be established or designated in each county and Baltimore City to administer the Program in their subdivision, under the direction of the Department.
(g) (1) In each county, the county executive or county commissioners, as appropriate, or in Baltimore City, the Mayor, shall establish a local interagency coordinating council to advise and assist the local lead agency in the development and implementation of policies that constitute the local Program.
(2) (i) In each county, the county executive or county commissioners, as appropriate, or in Baltimore City, the Mayor, may designate the local management board to serve as the local interagency coordinating council or establish the local interagency coordinating council as a part of that board.
(ii) Where a local management board and a local interagency coordinating council coexist, they shall work cooperatively.
(h) Beginning in fiscal year 2021, the Governor shall provide the following amounts for the Program:
(1) For fiscal year 2021, $12,389,104;
(2) For fiscal year 2022, $13,531,267;
(3) For fiscal year 2023, $14,673,430;
(4) For fiscal year 2024, $15,815,593;
(5) For fiscal year 2025, $16,957,756;
(6) For fiscal year 2026, $18,099,919;
(7) For fiscal year 2027, $19,242,082;
(8) For fiscal year 2028, $20,384,245;
(9) For fiscal year 2029, $21,526,408;
(10) For fiscal year 2030, $22,668,571; and
(11) For fiscal year 2031 and each fiscal year thereafter, the prior fiscal year amount increased by the inflation adjustment as defined in § 5–201 of this article.
(i) The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.