05/01/2025 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

           SB 178-EXPAND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
3:31:16 PM                                                                                                                  
CHAIR DUNBAR announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 178                                                               
"An  Act  relating to  early  intervention  services for  certain                                                               
children;  relating  to  optional   services  under  the  medical                                                               
assistance program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:31:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR opened public testimony on SB 178.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:32:13 PM                                                                                                                    
NIAMH  DARDIS,  Director,   Infant  Learning  Program,  Resource,                                                               
Education,  Advocacy,  Collaboration,  and  Housing  Organization                                                               
(REACH),  Juneau, Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 178.  She                                                               
emphasized  that  SB  178 would  expand  early  intervention  for                                                               
children   from  birth   to   age   three,  improving   long-term                                                               
educational  and  life   outcomes  by  identifying  developmental                                                               
delays  earlier. By  lowering the  eligibility threshold  from 50                                                               
percent to 25  percent, the bill may serve up  to 77 percent more                                                               
children,  address   rising  special  education   needs,  support                                                               
families  and workforce  retention, and  reduce future  costs. SB
 is widely supported by  early childhood advocates, disability                                                               
organizations, and families statewide.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:34:49 PM                                                                                                                    
STEPHANIE  TUCKER,  Director,  Infant  Learning  Program,  Mat-Su                                                               
Services for  Children and Adults, Wasilla,  Alaska, testified in                                                               
support of  SB 178.  She referenced  a recent  video highlighting                                                               
challenges faced  by Infant Learning Program  staff and families,                                                               
noting that  SB 178 would  expand services to  currently unserved                                                               
families  and align  Alaska's  eligibility  standards with  other                                                               
states. She emphasized that funding  has remained flat for over a                                                               
decade despite  rising costs and  population growth, and  that SB
  would  help  stabilize funding  and  support  the  increased                                                               
capacity required to serve all referred children.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:36:43 PM                                                                                                                    
MARK  LACKEY, Executive  Director,  CCS Early  Learning    Mat-Su                                                               
Borough,  Wasilla, Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 178.  He                                                               
shared his experiences working with  Head Start, foster care, and                                                               
long-term board  service, described  how limited  Infant Learning                                                               
Program  capacity contributes  to unmet  developmental needs  and                                                               
challenging behaviors in classrooms.  He emphasized that children                                                               
under  age  three  rely on  ILP  for  disability  determinations,                                                               
shared personal  examples of children  denied early  services who                                                               
later  required long-term  special education,  and stressed  that                                                               
ILP  has  struggled for  years  to  meet growing  demand  without                                                               
sufficient resources.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:39:07 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:39:22 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR   reconvened  the  meeting  and   continued  public                                                               
testimony on SB 178.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:39:46 PM                                                                                                                    
AMI  RUDD,  representing  self,  Wasilla,  Alaska,  testified  in                                                               
support of SB  178. She described her son being  evaluated with a                                                               
38  percent  developmental  delay,   making  him  ineligible  for                                                               
services  under  Alaska's  50  percent  threshold  despite  clear                                                               
needs.  She emphasized  long waitlists  for  private therapy  and                                                               
expressed concern  that her child  may fall behind  without early                                                               
support.  She  urged  lawmakers  to  ensure  state  services  are                                                               
available so children can reach their full potential.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:41:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MICHELLE LOVE,  representing self, Wasilla, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
support of  SB 178. She  shared her experience with  adopting her                                                               
great nephew  that was  born with  drug withdrawal  symptoms. She                                                               
said  he made  significant progress  after a  year in  the Infant                                                               
Learning  Program and  lost  eligibility after  testing  at a  28                                                               
percent  delay.  Without  continued  services,  his  delays  have                                                               
worsened, particularly  in speech.  She said  she was  reliant on                                                               
ILP's expertise to identify needs and support his development.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:44:02 PM                                                                                                                    
HEIDI HAAS,  representing self,  Fairbanks, Alaska,  testified in                                                               
support of SB  178. She shared that her  daughter, diagnosed with                                                               
autism,  benefited profoundly  from early  intervention services,                                                               
which  empowered  the  family to  support  her  development.  She                                                               
progressed  from needing  significant assistance  in kindergarten                                                               
to thriving  academically and socially,  now contributing  to her                                                               
community.  She  emphasized  that  even  brief  access  to  these                                                               
services  had  lasting  impact, highlighting  the  importance  of                                                               
early   intervention  for   individual   success  and   long-term                                                               
community and state benefits.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:47:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR closed public testimony on SB 178.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:47:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES expressed concern about  the fiscal note. She said                                                               
that  staff travel  is  already occurring  under  the current  50                                                               
percent threshold and  requested that this be  taken into account                                                               
when evaluating  the fiscal note.  She suggested  the independent                                                               
learning programs  explore funding from the  Alaska Mental Health                                                               
Trust Authority or the Mat-Su  Health Foundation to support these                                                               
children, emphasizing the importance of helping them thrive.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:49:20 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  TOBIN referenced  fiscal  note OMB  component 2663,  and                                                               
noted the fund source labeled  "MH" and asked whether this refers                                                               
to the Mental Health Trust.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:49:42 PM                                                                                                                    
SUSAN KESSLER, Research Analyst,  Infant Learning Program, Senior                                                               
and  Disabilities   Services  Division,  Department   of  Health,                                                               
Fairbanks,  Alaska, answered  questions on  SB 178.  She answered                                                               
that  the  Infant Learning  Program  receives  both general  fund                                                               
mental health  dollars and Alaska  Mental Health  Trust Authority                                                               
funds for certain special projects.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:51:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR [held SB 178 in committee.]