B.__"Mental and physical impairments" include, but are not limited to, the following conditions: mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, Asperger syndrome, mental illness, Prader-Willi syndrome and epilepsy.

2.__Reporting requirements. The Department of Human Services, Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services and Department of Education shall by January 15th of each year submit a joint report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters regarding activities conducted over the past fiscal year related to the prevention of developmental disabilities and underlying mental and physical impairments and plans for such activities in the succeeding year. The report must also include data on the incidence rate of births of developmentally disabled children in the State.

3.__Limitation. The provisions of this section may not be interpreted to expand or otherwise affect the requirements of the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services to provide services to children and families under section 3571, subsection 2 or under Title 34-B.

SUMMARY

This bill, which implements the recommendations of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, amends the reporting requirements for the Department of Human Services, the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services and the Department of Education relating to the prevention of developmental disabilities. The bill enacts definitions of developmental disabilities and mental and physical impairments for the purposes of reporting requirements, and it clarifies the scope of the required annual report. The bill explicitly states that the provisions of this section may not be interpreted to expand or otherwise affect the requirements of the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services to provide services to children and families.