SB57 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald H. AllenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

Mental Health Dept., duties, provision of applied behavior analysis services, autistic children, appropriation for program

Summary

SB57 would create a state-run Applied Behavior Analysis program under the Department of Mental Health to provide ABA services to children with autism, with a per-child cap and funding, and require schools to identify and refer eligible children.

What This Bill Does

It expands the Department of Mental Health's role to administer an ABA Program and provide ABA Intervention to children with autism. It limits the ABA Intervention paid per child to $40,000 annually. It appropriates $3,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund for FY2018 to fund the ABA Program. It requires the Department of Education, the Department of Early Childhood Education, and other educational entities to identify children birth through 9 with autism and refer them to the Department of Mental Health for ABA services.

Who It Affects

• Children birth through 9 years old diagnosed with autism in Alabama would be eligible to receive ABA Intervention through the new DMH program, up to $40,000 per year (if not already covered by insurance).
• The Department of Education, the Department of Early Childhood Education, and other educational entities would be required to identify eligible children and refer them to the Department of Mental Health for ABA services.

Key Provisions

• Establishes and administers an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program within the Department of Mental Health to provide ABA Intervention to children with autism and sets criteria for operation and management.
• ABA Intervention payments are limited to not more than $40,000 annually per child.
• Provides a $3,000,000 appropriation from the Education Trust Fund to the Department of Mental Health for the ABA Program for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.
• Requires the Department of Education, the Department of Early Childhood Education, and other educational entities to identify children aged birth through 9 with an autism spectrum disorder and refer them to the Department of Mental Health for ABA services.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Mental Health Department