Permits extended early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities whose third birthday is between May 1 and August 31.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would allow children with developmental disabilities to keep receiving early intervention services past their third birthday, but only under certain circumstances. Currently, early intervention services — which help young children with developmental delays or disabilities build skills in areas like communication, movement, and daily activities — typically end when a child turns three. This bill would create an exception for children whose third birthday falls between May 1 and August 31.

The reason for this exception is timing. Special education preschool programs for children with disabilities usually start in the fall. A child who turns three in the summer might age out of early intervention but then have to wait weeks or even months before their new preschool services begin, creating a gap in support during a critical period of development. This bill would essentially build a "bridge" to close that gap, allowing these children to continue receiving services until the school year starts and their preschool programming kicks in.

This bill would directly affect families of young children with developmental disabilities who have summer birthdays, as well as the providers and programs that deliver early intervention services in Rhode Island. It would require the state's early intervention system to continue serving a child beyond the typical cutoff point when that child would otherwise be left without support during the summer months.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee and is scheduled for a hearing. It has not yet been passed into law.