House Bill No. 6903 establishes a one-year pilot program aimed at disseminating information about child care services, early intervention programs, and financial assistance programs to expectant mothers receiving prenatal care in hospitals across the state. The program will be developed and administered by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Services, and will focus on hospitals that serve a high proportion of low-income families and are located in areas with a high demand for child care services. The bill outlines specific criteria for selecting participating hospitals, requirements for disseminating information to patients, and a system for tracking the distribution of materials.
Additionally, the bill mandates that the Commissioner of Early Childhood compile tailored documents for each selected hospital, which will include lists of local child care centers, early intervention programs, and financial assistance options. A survey will be administered to parents or guardians who enroll their children in services as a result of the pilot program, and a report analyzing the program's efficacy will be submitted by June 1, 2028. The bill incurs an estimated cost of approximately $145,524 for the Office of Early Childhood in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, primarily for hiring a Primary Prevention Services Coordinator to oversee the program's implementation and reporting.