GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 628*

Short Title:  Early Intervention Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Easterling, Barnhill; Cummings, Hackney, Holt, Jeffus, Kennedy, Kuczmarski, Lemmond, Luebke, Oldham, and Wainwright.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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March 29, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR EARLY INTERVENTION AND RELATED SERVICES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Maternal and Child Health, Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, the sum of two million five hundred ten thousand dollars ($2,510,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of three million five hundred twenty thousand dollars ($3,520,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for early intervention services.  These funds shall be allocated as follows:
(1)	$750,000 for the 1993-94 fiscal year and $750,000 for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to extend the child services coordination services to an additional 5,000 to 8,000 eligible families;
(2)	$810,000 for the 1993-94 fiscal year and $1,620,000 for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to provide special therapy positions and support costs at each Developmental Evaluation Center in order to serve the 3,000 eligible children in need of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy;
(3)	$200,000 for the 1993-94 fiscal year and $400,000 for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to hire 10 specially trained nutritionists for the 10 Developmental Evaluation Centers that do not currently have one; and
(4)	$750,000 for the 1993-94 fiscal year and $750,000 for the 1994-95 fiscal year, for Children's Special Health Services for assistive technology services for the estimated 1,000 eligible children.
(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Resources, the sum of three million eight hundred eighty-six thousand six hundred sixty-seven dollars ($3,886,667) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of five million two hundred eighty-eight thousand three hundred twenty dollars ($5,288,320) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to provide center-based services for 992 infants and toddlers in fiscal year 1993-94 and 1,324 infants and toddlers in fiscal year 1994-95 and to provide respite services for 523 families for the 1993-95 fiscal biennium.
(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Department of Human Resources, the sum of seven hundred seventy-seven thousand five hundred seventy-eight dollars ($777,578) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of nine hundred nineteen thousand seven hundred nine dollars ($919,709) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to expand the statewide preschool services for children from birth through four years of age who are hearing impaired and for their families.
(d) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Services for the Blind, Department of Human Resources, the sum of three hundred thirty-six thousand nine hundred ninety-seven dollars ($336,997) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of seven hundred twenty-five thousand one hundred seventeen dollars ($725,117) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, to expand preschool services statewide.
(e) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of three hundred fifty-four thousand dollars ($354,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of seven hundred eight thousand dollars ($708,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year, for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Health Affairs for TEACCH, the Treatment and Education of Autistic and other Communication-Handicapped Children and Adults Program, for additional staff and nonpersonnel expenses in meeting the current and future demand for preschool services for communication-handicapped children from birth through four years of age and their families.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.