Relationship Between State-Level Developmental Screening and IDEA Part C Early Intervention Rates

The purpose of this study was to explore whether a relationship exists between the rates of state-level developmental screening by a health care provider and state-level provision of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C (IDEA Part C) early intervention services. This is an important first step in determining whether states have the capacity to deal with a potential influx of newly identified children. This analysis compared screening rates from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health with service rates from the Department of Education’s 2016 IDEA Part C data. There was no significant relationship between rates of screening by a health care provider and receipt of IDEA Part C services ( r = .13, p = .366). Those who identified as White were screened and provided with IDEA services at a higher percentage than non-White ( r = .80, p < .001). There was a significant relationship between region and receipt of IDEA Part C services, F(3) = 8.14, p < .001, with the Northeast region ( M = 4.95, SD = 1.85) having higher percent served via IDEA Part C services. Results indicate no relationship between state levels of screening by a health care provider and receipt of IDEA Part C services. Efforts to increase developmental screening may require strategies to ensure adequate service access.

Parent book choices: How do parents select books to share with infants and toddlers with language impairment?

Book-sharing with young children is an established vehicle for promoting early language development and pre-literacy skills. Although parents are widely encouraged to read to their child and existing interventions provide instruction on book-sharing strategies, there is a prominent lack of guidance for parents on how to choose the book itself. Importantly, there is a foundational lack of knowledge on the factors that parents take into consideration when choosing books to share with their young child. While understanding that parent book-choice is important for all children, it may be particularly important for those with language-impairment (LI), since book-sharing is an evidence-based intervention approach and widely recommended to promote language for LI populations. This qualitative study examines parents’ book selection choices, and the elements they consider, when choosing books to share with their infants and toddlers with LI. Participants included 13 parents of young children aged 19–29 months (9 males, 4 females; mean age = 25 months) receiving Part C services. Parent responses indicated that the most common themes considered included physical aesthetics, text difficulty, physical properties, educational considerations and content; the relative importance of these themes varied depending on context. Results are framed in the context of research on parent-child book-sharing interactions. Recommendations for practitioners working with parents and young children with LI during book-sharing are also highlighted.

Parents’ Part C Experiences in Rural Areas: Alignment With Recommended Practices

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) clearly outlined recommended practices for the provision of Part C services. However, there may be challenges in rural areas associated with services aligning with these recommended practices. Therefore, this study focuses on how families experience Part C services and the extent to which services align with specific areas the DEC recommended practices in the large, rural state of Montana. We interviewed parents ( N = 30) about their children’s Part C services. Deductive qualitative content analysis was used. Parents’ reports suggest that while some aspects of their Part C services align with specific recommended practices, others do not. There were some meaningful differences regarding alignment with these recommended practices depending on type of provider being described. The environments in which services take place are discussed, as these may influence aspects of collaboration and building family capacity.

The Relationship Between State Lead Agency and Enrollment Into Early Intervention Services

Services offered through Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act improve cognitive, behavioral, and physical skills for children less than 3 years old at risk for or with a disability. However, there are low enrollment rates into services. Various Lead Agencies oversee services through Part C, and states determine which agency is in charge of administering these services. The objective of this study was to describe odds of enrollment into early intervention services based on the department administering services (Lead Agency). Each state’s Lead Agency (Education, Health, or Other), state population size, narrowness of eligibility criteria, and state-level screening rates were fit into a negative binomial regression model to predict odds of enrollment into Part C services. Results show that state’s reporting from “Health” and “Other” as a Lead Agency had significantly higher odds for Part C services compared with the state Lead Agency of Education (Health adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.557, 1.561]; Other AOR = 2.40, 95% CI = [2.401, 2.405]). Further research should describe unique components of a Lead Agency’s administrative practices that contribute to the variation in enrollment. This study was an important step toward the investigation of low enrollment rates into Part C services.

A Systematic Review of Part C Early Identification Studies

Authors conducted a systematic literature review on early identification steps leading at-risk young children to connect with Part C services. Authors classified data collection settings as primary (settings for general population) or specialized (settings for children at risk of developmental delay) and according to the phases of early identification in the study: (a) original population of children aged 0 to 6 years who had received Part C services, (b) screening and/or referral and/or developmental assessment from 0 through age 2 years, and (c) were deemed eligible and/or received Part C services. Authors identified 43 articles including at least two phases of the early identification process. The literature about connecting children to Part C early intervention (EI) is sparse and fragmented; few studies document the full process from community monitoring to service receipt. Results indicate opportunities for development of systems to better track and improve the identification of young children in need of EI.