Public Act 104-0294
 
HB3327 EnrolledLRB104 11240 KTG 21322 b

    AN ACT concerning children.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. The Hospital Licensing Act is amended by adding 
Section 11.7a as follows:
 
    (210 ILCS 85/11.7a new)
    Sec. 11.7a. Early intervention services. 
    (a) Through June 30, 2026, a hospital shall provide 
written information, which may be provided electronically, on 
the Early Intervention program administered under the Early 
Intervention Services System Act to any parent or legal 
guardian whose child is admitted to the neonatal intensive 
care department. With a parent or legal guardian, a hospital 
staff member familiar with the Early Intervention program 
shall initiate prior to discharge from the hospital written 
referrals to the Early Intervention program for all children 
admitted to the neonatal intensive care department who qualify 
for early intervention services under paragraph (2) or (3) of 
subsection (a) of Section 3 of the Early Intervention Services 
System Act.
    (b) Beginning July 1, 2026, a hospital shall provide 
written information, which may be provided electronically, on 
the Early Intervention program administered under the 
Department of Early Childhood Act to any parent or legal 
guardian whose child is admitted to the neonatal intensive 
care department. With a parent or legal guardian, a hospital 
staff member familiar with the Early Intervention program 
shall initiate prior to discharge from the hospital written 
referrals to the Early Intervention program for all children 
admitted to the neonatal intensive care department who qualify 
for early intervention services under paragraph (2) or (3) of 
subsection (a) of Section 10-15 of the Department of Early 
Childhood Act.
 
    Section 5. The Department of Early Childhood Act is 
amended by changing Section 10-45 as follows:
 
    (325 ILCS 3/10-45)
    Sec. 10-45. Essential components of the statewide service 
system. As required by federal laws and regulations, a 
statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, interagency 
and interdisciplinary programs shall be established and 
maintained. The framework of the statewide system shall be 
based on the components set forth in this Section. This 
framework shall be used for planning, implementation, 
coordination and evaluation of the statewide system of locally 
based early intervention services.
    The statewide system shall include, at a minimum:
        (a) a definition of the term "developmentally 
    delayed", in accordance with the definition in Section 
    10-15, that will be used in Illinois in carrying out 
    programs under this Act;
        (b) timetables for ensuring that appropriate early 
    intervention services, based on scientifically based 
    research, to the extent practicable, will be available to 
    all eligible infants and toddlers in this State after the 
    effective date of this Act;
        (c) a timely, comprehensive, multidisciplinary 
    evaluation of each potentially eligible infant and toddler 
    in this State, unless the child meets the definition of 
    eligibility based upon his or her medical and other 
    records; for a child determined eligible, a 
    multidisciplinary assessment of the unique strengths and 
    needs of that infant or toddler and the identification of 
    services appropriate to meet those needs and a 
    family-directed assessment of the resources, priorities, 
    and concerns of the family and the identification of 
    supports and services necessary to enhance the family's 
    capacity to meet the developmental needs of that infant or 
    toddler;
        (d) for each eligible infant and toddler, an 
    Individualized Family Service Plan, including service 
    coordination (case management) services;
        (e) a comprehensive child find system, consistent with 
    Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
    (20 United States Code 1411 through 1420 and as set forth 
    in 34 CFR 300.115), which includes timelines and provides 
    for participation by primary referral sources;
        (f) a public awareness program focusing on early 
    identification of eligible infants and toddlers, with a 
    special focus on the early identification of infants who 
    automatically qualify for early intervention services, 
    including, but not limited to, those who qualify on 
    account of having a birth weight less than 1,000 grams;
        (g) a central directory which includes public and 
    private early intervention services, resources, and 
    experts available in this State, professional and other 
    groups (including parent support groups and training and 
    information centers) that provide assistance to infants 
    and toddlers with disabilities who are eligible for early 
    intervention programs assisted under Part C of the 
    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and their 
    families, and research and demonstration projects being 
    conducted in this State relating to infants and toddlers 
    with disabilities;
        (h) a comprehensive system of personnel development;
        (i) a policy pertaining to the contracting or making 
    of other arrangements with public and private service 
    providers to provide early intervention services in this 
    State, consistent with the provisions of this Act, 
    including the contents of the application used and the 
    conditions of the contract or other arrangements;
        (j) a procedure for securing timely reimbursement of 
    funds;
        (k) procedural safeguards with respect to programs 
    under this Act;
        (l) policies and procedures relating to the 
    establishment and maintenance of standards to ensure that 
    personnel necessary to carry out this Act are 
    appropriately and adequately prepared and trained;
        (m) a system of evaluation of, and compliance with, 
    program standards;
        (n) a system for compiling data on the numbers of 
    eligible infants and toddlers and their families in this 
    State in need of appropriate early intervention services; 
    the numbers served; the types of services provided; and 
    other information required by the State or federal 
    government; and
        (o) a single line of responsibility in a lead agency 
    designated by the Governor to carry out its 
    responsibilities as required by this Act.
    In addition to these required components, linkages may be 
established within a local community area among the prenatal 
initiatives affording services to high risk pregnant women. 
Additional linkages among at risk programs and local literacy 
programs may also be established.
    On and after July 1, 2026, the Department of Early 
Childhood shall continue implementation of the 5-fiscal-year 
implementation plan that was created by the Department of 
Human Services with the concurrence of the Illinois 
Interagency Council on Early Intervention. The plan shall list 
specific activities to be accomplished each year, with cost 
estimates for each activity. The lead agency shall, with the 
concurrence of the Interagency Council, submit to the 
Governor's Office a report on accomplishments of the previous 
year and a revised list of activities for the remainder of the 
5-fiscal-year plan, with cost estimates for each. The Governor 
shall certify that specific activities in the plan for the 
previous year have been substantially completed before 
authorizing relevant State or local agencies to implement 
activities listed in the revised plan that depend 
substantially upon completion of one or more of the earlier 
activities.
(Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)