Section 95001 Of Chapter 1. General Provisions From California Government Code >> Title 14. >> Chapter 1.
95001
. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) There is a need to provide appropriate early intervention
services individually designed for infants and toddlers from birth to
two years of age, inclusive, who have disabilities or are at risk of
having disabilities, to enhance their development and to minimize
the potential for developmental delays.
(2) Early intervention services for infants and toddlers with
disabilities or who are at risk of having disabilities represent an
investment of resources, in that these services reduce the ultimate
costs to our society, by minimizing the need for special education
and related services in later school years and by minimizing the
likelihood of institutionalization. These services also maximize the
ability of families to better provide for the special needs of their
children. Early intervention services for infants and toddlers with
disabilities maximize the potential of the individuals to be
effective in the context of daily life and activities, including the
potential to live independently, and exercise the full rights of
citizenship. The earlier intervention is started, the greater is the
ultimate cost-effectiveness and the higher is the educational
attainment and quality of life achieved by children with
disabilities.
(3) The family is the constant in the child's life, while the
service system and personnel within those systems fluctuate. Because
the primary responsibility of an infant's or toddler's well-being
rests with the family, services should support and enhance the family'
s capability to meet the special developmental needs of their infant
or toddler with disabilities.
(4) Family-to-family support strengthens families' ability to
fully participate in services planning and their capacity to care for
their infants or toddlers with disabilities.
(5) Meeting the complex needs of infants with disabilities and
their families requires active state and local coordinated,
collaborative, and accessible service delivery systems that are
flexible, culturally competent, and responsive to family-identified
needs. When health, developmental, educational, and social programs
are coordinated, they are proven to be cost effective, not only for
systems, but for families as well.
(6) Family-professional collaboration contributes to changing the
ways that early intervention services are provided and to enhancing
their effectiveness.
(7) Infants and toddlers with disabilities are a part of their
communities, and as citizens make valuable contributions to society
as a whole.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that:
(1) Funding provided under Part C of the federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1431 et seq.) be used to
improve and enhance early intervention services as defined in this
title by developing innovative ways of providing family focused,
coordinated services, which are built upon existing systems.
(2) The State Department of Developmental Services, the State
Department of Education, the State Department of Health Care
Services, and the State Department of Social Services coordinate
services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their
families. These agencies need to collaborate with families and
communities to provide a family-centered, comprehensive,
multidisciplinary, interagency, community-based, early intervention
system for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
(3) Families be well informed, supported, and respected as capable
and collaborative decisionmakers regarding services for their child.
(4) Professionals be supported to enhance their training and
maintain a high level of expertise in their field, as well as
knowledge of what constitutes most effective early intervention
practices.
(5) Families and professionals join in collaborative partnerships
to develop early intervention services that meet the needs of infants
and toddlers with disabilities, and that those partnerships be the
basis for the development of services that meet the needs of the
culturally and linguistically diverse population of California.
(6) To the maximum extent possible, infants and toddlers with
disabilities and their families be provided services in the most
natural environment, and include the use of natural supports and
existing community resources.
(7) The services delivery system be responsive to the families and
children it serves within the context of cooperation and
coordination among the various agencies.
(8) Early intervention program quality be ensured and maintained
through established early intervention program and personnel
standards.
(9) The early intervention system be responsive to public input
and participation in the development of implementation policies and
procedures for early intervention services through the forum of an
interagency coordinating council established pursuant to federal
regulations under Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act.
(c) It is not the intent of the Legislature to require the State
Department of Education to implement this title unless adequate
reimbursement, as specified and agreed to by the department, is
provided to the department from federal funds from Part C of the
federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.