SB57 Alabama 2017 Session

Under existing law, no state agency provides applied behavior analysis services to children with a primary diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder

This bill expands the power and duties of the Department of Mental Health for the purpose of administering an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program and providing ABA Intervention to children with autism. This bill would limit the amount of ABA Intervention provided to a child to $40,000 annually and provides for an appropriation of $3,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018 to the Department of Mental Health for the administration of the ABA Program. In addition, this bill expands the duties of the Department of Education, the Department of Early Childhood Education and other educational entities, by requiring them to identify children who have a primary diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder for referral to the Department of Mental Health for ABA services

To expand the powers and duties of the Department of Mental Health; to limit the amount of ABA Intervention provided annually per child to $40,000; to appropriate $3,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018; and to expand the duties of the Department of Education, Department of Early Childhood Education and other educational entities, by requiring them to identify children with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis for referral to the Department of Mental Health for ABA services.