First Regular Session

Sixty-second General Assembly

LLS NO. R99­0943.01 Alfredo Kemm

STATE OF COLORADO

BY REPRESENTATIVE George;

also SENATOR Powers.

ENGROSSED

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 99­1041

CONCERNING EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION AWARENESS DAY.

WHEREAS, Our children are most precious and represent our future; and

WHEREAS, Two percent of all children up to three years of age have significant developmental conditions or delays; and

WHEREAS, The critical window of opportunity for visual skill development is birth to six months, and the critical window of opportunity for speech development is within the first three years of life; and

WHEREAS, The earlier a child is identified as having a developmental delay or developmental disability, the greater the beneficial effect of services and support which in many cases can greatly limit the severity of a disability or completely eliminate a developmental delay; and

WHEREAS, Early childhood intervention programs provide services to babies and toddlers who are born premature, who have had problems during the newborn period, who are at risk for developmental delay or have minor delays in development, or who are born to very young mothers or into distressed home environments; and

WHEREAS, Each year more than a thousand children up to three years of age are helped by early intervention services in Colorado; and

WHEREAS, The Colorado Association of Community Centered Boards and The Children's Hospital have launched an effort to inform families about Colorado resources to address childhood developmental disabilities and developmental delays; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, recognize the importance of and support the work being done throughout the state to inform, educate, and assist families and children who may be affected by these issues, and proclaim April 28, 1999, Colorado Early Childhood Intervention Awareness Day.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the Colorado Association of Community Centered Boards and The Children's Hospital in recognition of their efforts.