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Advocates Ask Legislature to Adopt Federal Definition of Developmental Disability
Summary
Lawmakers and advocates told the committee broadening the state's definition to match the federal definition would expand service eligibility for people with cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other conditions currently excluded.
Advocates and lawmakers urged the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities on Thursday to update Massachusetts' definition of developmental disability to mirror the broader federal definition, which they said would expand access to services.
Sponsor Senator Lovely and Representative O'Day, co-sponsors of Senate 150 and House 276, said the state's current definition excludes some conditions such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and certain cases of cerebral palsy from services…
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