Legislative intent.

The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of handicapping conditions in young children can be prevented, and such conditions which are not prevented can be minimized by focusing prevention efforts on high-risk pregnant women and on high-risk and handicapped preschool children and their families. The Legislature further finds that by preventing handicaps in preschool children, infant mortality and child abuse can be reduced and this state can reap substantial savings in both human potential and state funds. The Legislature finds that infant mortality, handicapping conditions in young children, and other health problems for infants and mothers are associated with teenage pregnancy and that the prevention of sexual activity and unwanted teenage pregnancy can reduce the number of at-risk children, while increasing human potential and reducing the cost of health care. The Legislature further finds that a continuum of integrated services is needed to identify, diagnose, and treat high-risk conditions in pregnant women and in preschool children. The Legislature finds that intraagency and interagency coordination can enhance the framework of a continuum that is already in existence and that coordination of public sector and private sector prevention services can reduce infant mortality and handicapping conditions in preschool children and minimize the effects of handicapping conditions. It is the intent of the Legislature, therefore, that a continuum of efficient and cost-effective prevention and early assistance services be identified, that a plan for intraagency and interagency coordination be developed for the purpose of implementing such a continuum, and that the continuum of services be implemented as resources are made available for such implementation.