§ 42-72.3-2 - Legislative declaration. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 42-72.3-2

   § 42-72.3-2  Legislative declaration.– The general assembly finds and declares that:

   (1) In 1986 twenty-one (21) Rhode Island children were bornto mothers under the age of fifteen (15), fifty-nine (59) children to mothersage fifteen (15), one hundred eighteen (118) children to mothers age sixteen(16), and two hundred seventy (270) children to mothers age seventeen (17); and

   (2) Each year in Rhode Island, one in four (4) infants, orover three thousand (3,000), are born into poverty; and

   (3) An insightful 1986 report, "Investing in our children" bythe committee for economic development, has concluded:

   "The seeds of educational failure are planted early. Childrenwho are born into poverty or overly stressful circumstances often suffer from awide variety of physical and emotional problems that can delay normal socialand intellectual development or impair their ability to function effectively.

   The patterns of behavior that lead to school failure anddropping out begin to appear during infancy and the toddler years. Withoutearly intervention, these children will have difficulty taking advantage of thelearning opportunities available in elementary and secondary school. It istherefore likely that many otherwise bright children will have their talentslost to themselves and society"; and

   (4) Most recent Rhode Island initiatives have been targetedat the pre-school and school-age population, and have not addressed thepressing needs of at-risk infants and toddlers and their families; and

   (5) Rhode Island must provide the earliest possibleintervention with at-risk children for reasons both of compassion andcost-effectiveness.