Alaska lowers bar for toddlers to get early intervention services

The Alaska State Legislature passed a bill Sunday that allows young children with developmental delays to receive services they have been denied under a restrictive eligibility standard.

Senate Bill 178 lowers the threshold for the state's Infant Learning Program from a 50 percent developmental delay to 25 percent. Under the old standard, a two-year-old had to function at the level of a one-year-old to qualify for help. Many children whose delays were clinically recognized were turned away.

In Alaska, one in four children who need intervention services does not receive them. That rate is higher than the national average.

The new 25 percent threshold matches the standard Alaska already uses for special education services. The change allows children to enter the program earlier, when intervention is most effective.

Senator Löki Tobin, a Democrat from Anchorage and co-chair of the Alaska Children's Caucus, said early intervention costs far less than waiting. A child served through the Infant Learning Program costs one-tenth as much as providing equivalent services after age three, Tobin said.

Tobin said early intervention is crucial for the long-term health of vulnerable children. It costs far less than waiting, she said. The bill ensures children who need services can get them before delays compound and costs grow.

Senator Cathy Giessel, a Republican from Anchorage and co-chair of the Children's Caucus, said Alaska has been telling families their children are not delayed enough to receive help.

Children do not get a second chance at vital early brain development, Giessel said. When the state misses that window, the child is affected for life. The state pays for it in special education costs, in lost potential, and in goals these young people will not reach.

Giessel said the Children's Caucus identified the gap and made closing it a priority this session. This is the right investment in Alaska's future, she said.

National data show that 46 percent of children who complete Infant Learning Program services by age three do not require special education in kindergarten. Studies show a return of $2.05 to $17.07 for every dollar invested in early intervention.

The bill also allows the Infant Learning Program to access additional federal Medicaid funding. That will reduce reliance on state general funds over time.

Senator Forrest Dunbar, a Democrat from Anchorage who chairs the Senate Health and Social Services Committee, said the current threshold produced a system that waits until a child's needs are severe before stepping in.

This bill will help thousands of children, Dunbar said. The policy aligns the eligibility standard with the special education standard and puts the youngest Alaskans on better footing for success in their educational careers.