§ 44-7-2540 — Interagency system to be developed.

(A) The State Interagency Coordinating Council shall advise and assist the department in developing a comprehensive interagency system to provide early intervention services for all eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. (B) The comprehensive interagency system must implement: (1) a timely, comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment of the functioning of each infant and toddler with disabilities in the State, including the needs of their families relating to enhancing the child's development; (2) a written individualized family service plan for each eligible infant or toddler with a disability; (3) a comprehensive method of identifying infants and toddlers with disabilities; (4) a public awareness program focusing on early identification of infants and toddlers with disabilities; (5) access to a central directory which includes early intervention services, resources, and experts available in the State; (6) a comprehensive system of personnel development for those who serve eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities; (7) formal interagency agreements which: (a) define the responsibility of each agency for providing and paying for early intervention services; (b) coordinate programs so as to permit children and their families to move easily among agencies in the system; (c) adopt uniform program, health, and safety standards; (d) contain procedures for resolving disputes; (8) procedural safeguards as required by federal and state law; (9) a method for compiling data on the number of infants and toddlers with disabilities in the State in need of early intervention services, the number served, the types of disabilities, the types of services provided, and other information required by the federal government or needed to deliver services effectively. (C) Early intervention services must be available through the comprehensive interagency system and provided by appropriate state agencies in accordance with time requirements of Subchapter VIII, Chapter 33, Title 20, U.S. Code Annotated, to effectuate the individual family service plan for each eligible infant or toddler.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1989 Act No. 114, SECTION 2; 1991 Act No. 41, SECTION 2.