§ 23-14-1 - Declaration of intent. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 23-14-1

   § 23-14-1  Declaration of intent. –(a) Whereas, the state recognizes that many of the children with special healthcare needs, as well as their families, are forced to bear substantial physical,emotional, social, and financial hardships associated with the child's illness;

   (b) Whereas, the financial costs for treatment and continuedhealth care for children with special health care needs are often prohibitive,while many families may be without health care coverage, or be ineligible forpublicly funded assistance, or coverage may be inadequate to cover many of thecosts related to treatment or continued medical care;

   (c) Whereas, many families of children with special healthcare needs cannot be with their children during vital pre-and post operativeperiods or for periods of post operative treatment due to their inability tomeet travel expenses;

   (d) Whereas, many nonprofit organizations in Rhode Islandattempt to ameliorate this distressing situation for the children with specialhealth care needs and their families by providing medicines, medical equipment,and funding to help to defray the costs associated with the care and treatmentof these youngsters not otherwise provided for; and

   (e) Whereas, as admirable as the efforts of these nonprofitorganizations are, it is widely acknowledged that they lack the funding to meetall of the remaining needs of children with special health care needs;

   (f) It is declared to be the intent of the state to provide ameans by which children with special health care needs, whose needs for medicaltreatment, care, and equipment are not otherwise provided for, may be financedthrough a voluntary check-off of a portion of an income tax refund owed to ataxpayer by the state. It is also intended that funds generated by thecheck-off be supplemental to any funds which would otherwise be available forthe purposes mentioned in this section, and that the funds be used only fordirect provision of medicines, medical equipment, medical treatment, or care tochildren with special health care needs and travel expenses for child diseasevictims and their families when it is necessary for the child to receivetreatment at an out-of-state medical treatment facility.