20 U.S.C. § 1431 : US Code - Section 1431: Findings and policy

Search 20 U.S.C. § 1431 : US Code - Section 1431: Findings and policy

(a) Findings
Congress finds that there is an urgent and substantial need -
(1) to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with
disabilities, to minimize their potential for developmental
delay, and to recognize the significant brain development that
occurs during a child's first 3 years of life;
(2) to reduce the educational costs to our society, including
our Nation's schools, by minimizing the need for special
education and related services after infants and toddlers with
disabilities reach school age;
(3) to maximize the potential for individuals with disabilities
to live independently in society;
(4) to enhance the capacity of families to meet the special
needs of their infants and toddlers with disabilities; and
(5) to enhance the capacity of State and local agencies and
service providers to identify, evaluate, and meet the needs of
all children, particularly minority, low-income, inner city, and
rural children, and infants and toddlers in foster care.
(b) Policy
It is the policy of the United States to provide financial
assistance to States -
(1) to develop and implement a statewide, comprehensive,
coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system that provides
early intervention services for infants and toddlers with
disabilities and their families;
(2) to facilitate the coordination of payment for early
intervention services from Federal, State, local, and private
sources (including public and private insurance coverage);
(3) to enhance State capacity to provide quality early
intervention services and expand and improve existing early
intervention services being provided to infants and toddlers with
disabilities and their families; and
(4) to encourage States to expand opportunities for children
under 3 years of age who would be at risk of having substantial
developmental delay if they did not receive early intervention
services.