Bill Text: NJ A3545 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes programs to address needs of toddlers and certain children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-05 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee [A3545 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3545-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes programs to address needs of toddlers and certain children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes and Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The State's early intervention program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.309 (C.26:1A-36.7) shall conduct activities to address the specific needs of toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing and are receiving early intervention services, as well as the needs of the toddler's parent or guardian. The activities shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) holding two meetings per year between the toddler, the toddler's parent or guardian, and a language team, which meeting shall continue until the toddler's sign or spoken language development meets the objective criteria and developmental benchmarks set forth by the early intervention program; and
(2) pairing the toddler's parent or guardian with a mentor who shall:
(a) be deaf or hard of hearing;
(b) provide guidance to, and share personal insights with, the toddler's parent or guardian about the mentor's experiences living day to day as a person who is deaf or hard of hearing;
(c) play an active role in the toddler's language development as a member of the toddler's language team pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(d) be trained as a SKI-HI deaf mentor in accordance with the SKI-HI Deaf Mentor Manual training program.
b. Each toddler who is deaf or hard of hearing and is receiving early intervention services shall be automatically enrolled to receive the services provided by a language team pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section, except that the toddler's parent or guardian shall have the option to decline such services.
c. The early intervention program shall allow a toddler who is deaf or hard of hearing and is receiving early intervention services and the toddler's parent or guardian to participate in the activities conducted pursuant to subsection a. of this section until the toddler turns three years of age, whereupon the child may be eligible to participate in activities under section 2 of P.L. ,c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill)
d. As used in this section:
"Language team" means a team consisting of a pediatric audiologist, a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing, a deaf mentor, and a speech and language pathologist.
"Pediatric audiologist" means a licensed professional trained to test, diagnose, evaluate, and manage the presence, extent, and reason for hearing loss and other hearing-related issues in infants and children, and to provide recommendations for interventions or rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, prescribing hearing aids or other assistive devices.
"Speech and language pathologist" means a licensed professional trained to identify, assess, and rehabilitate persons with speech, voice, or language disorders.
2. a. The Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Health, shall conduct activities to address the specific needs of children between the ages of three and five who are deaf or hard of hearing and have previously received early intervention services pursuant to section of P.L.1993, c.309 (C.26:1A-36.7), as well as the needs of child's parent or guardian. The activities shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) holding two meetings per year between the child, the child's parent or guardian, and a language team, which meeting shall continue until the child's sign or spoken language development meets the objective criteria and developmental benchmarks set forth by the early intervention program; and
(2) pairing the child's parent or guardian with a mentor who shall:
(a) be deaf or hard of hearing;
(b)provide guidance to, and share personal insights with, the child's parent or guardian about the mentor's experiences living day to day as a person who is deaf or hard of hearing;
(c) play an active role in the child's language development as a member of the child's language team pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
(d) be trained as a SKI-HI deaf mentor in accordance with the SKI-HI Deaf Mentor Manual training program.
b. Each child between the ages of three and five who is deaf or hard of hearing and has previously received early intervention services, shall be automatically enrolled to receive the services provided by a language team pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section, except that the child's parent or guardian shall have the option to decline such services.
c. The early intervention program shall allow a child between the ages of three and five who is deaf or hard of hearing and has previously received early intervention services, and the child's parent or guardian, to participate in the activities conducted pursuant to subsection a. of this section until the child enters kindergarten or elementary school, as applicable.
d. As used in this section:
"Language team" means a team consisting of a pediatric audiologist, a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing, a deaf mentor, and a speech and language pathologist.
"Pediatric audiologist" means a licensed professional trained to test, diagnose, evaluate, and manage the presence, extent, and reason for hearing loss and other hearing-related issues in infants and children, and to provide recommendations for interventions or rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, prescribing hearing aids or other assistive devices.
"Speech and language pathologist" means a licensed professional trained to identify, assess, and rehabilitate persons with speech, voice, or language disorders.
3. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Education, shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the 90th day following enactment, but the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Education, may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for implementation of the act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes requirements to provide certain services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as their parents or guardians, to help the child achieve certain benchmarks in the development of the child's sign or spoken language.
Specifically, the bill provides for children and their parents or guardians participating in the program to participate in certain including, but not be limited to: (1) holding two meetings per year between the child, the child's parent or guardian, and a language team until the child's sign or spoken language development meets the objective criteria and developmental benchmarks set forth by the early intervention program; and (2) pairing the child's parent or guardian with a mentor.
The mentor will be required to: provide guidance to, and share personal insights with, the parent or guardian about living day to day as a person who is deaf or hard of hearing; be a member of the child's language team and play an active role in the child's language development; and be trained as a SKI-HI deaf mentor in accordance with the SKI-HI Deaf Mentor Manual training program.
In the case of a toddler who is under the age of three, these activities will be provided by through the Department of Health's (DOH) early intervention program. In the case of a child between the ages of three and five, the activities will be provided through the Department of Education (DOE). The DOE program will be limited to children who previously received services through the early intervention program. A child receiving services under the DOE may continue in the program until the child enters kindergarten or elementary school. A toddler aging out of the DOH program may be eligible for the DOE program.
A child who is deaf or hard of hearing and is eligible to receive the services outlined in the bill is to be automatically enrolled to receive the services provided by a language team unless the child's parent or guardian declines the services.
As defined in the bill: "language team" means a team consisting of a pediatric audiologist, a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing, a deaf mentor, and a speech and language pathologist; "pediatric audiologist" means a licensed professional trained to test, diagnose, evaluate, and manage the presence, extent, and reason for hearing loss and other hearing-related issues in infants and children, and to provide recommendations for interventions or rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, prescribing hearing aids or other assistive devices; and "speech and language pathologist" means a licensed professional trained to identify, assess, and rehabilitate persons with speech, voice, or language disorders.
