Kathy HebbelerSRI International

February 17, 2010

Characteristics of Children

Served in Part C

Objectives

• Share some information on what we know about children and families receiving Part C services

• Discuss the implications for child find, eligibility criteria and improving systems and services

Data Sources

• National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS) (www.sri.com/neils)

• Data States report annually to the U.S. Department of Education (www.ideadata.org)

• Patterns in the Identification of and Outcomes for Children and Youth With Disabilities (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20104005/index.asp)

NEILS

Followed 3,338 children and families from entry to early intervention through kindergarten

Families entered EI in 1997-1998Nationally representative study with data

weighted to represent the nation (but the nation in 1998)

Data collected shortly after family enrolled in EI Service providers --Study enrollment formFamilies – Telephone Interview

Followed 3,338 children and families from entry to early intervention through kindergarten

Families entered EI in 1997-1998Nationally representative study with data

weighted to represent the nation (but the nation in 1998)

Data collected shortly after family enrolled in EI Service providers --Study enrollment formFamilies – Telephone Interview

State Reported Data

• All states submit data annually to Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education

• Provides perspective on change over time

• Not much detail on characteristics of children and families being served.

Number of children has increased

Note: This is a one day count. Number served in a year is higher

Percentage of children has increased

8

HawaiiMassachusetts

West VirginiaRhode Island

WyomingNew York

New HampshireIndiana

New MexicoVermont

PennsylvaniaConnecticut

IllinoisNorth Dakota

MarylandSouth Dakota

IdahoArkansas

New JerseyOhio

DelawareKansas

WisconsinIowa

MaineMichiganKentuckyCalifornia

North CarolinaTexas

OklahomaSouth Carolina

MontanaColorado

AlaskaArizona

UtahOregon

WashingtonNebraska

FloridaMinnesotaTennessee

VirginiaMissouriNevada

AlabamaDistrict of Columbia

GeorgiaLouisiana

MississippiNational

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0

Percent

1997

2006Average 1998-2005

Percentage of children served nationally, and in by state (1997, 1998–2005 average, and 2006)

(IES Report)

9

MississippiLouisiana

GeorgiaDistrict of Columbia

AlabamaNevadaMissouriVirginia

TennesseeMinnesota

FloridaNebraska

WashingtonOregon

UtahArizonaAlaska

ColoradoMontana

South CarolinaOklahoma

TexasNorth Carolina

CaliforniaKentuckyMichigan

MaineIowa

WisconsinKansas

DelawareOhio

New JerseyArkansas

IdahoSouth Dakota

MarylandNorth Dakota

IllinoisConnecticut

PennsylvaniaVermont

New MexicoIndiana

New HampshireNew YorkWyoming

Rhode IslandWest Virginia

MassachusettsHawaii

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0

Broad

Moderate

Narrow

Unknown

Percent

Percentage of children ages birth through 2, by OSEP categorization of eligibility criteria (2006 data)

(IES Report)

National Average

More boys than girls

NEILS found 61% boys - 1998

Most children are White (not Hispanic)

Proportionately more White and American Indian/Alaskan Native Children are served

Differences in trends by race/ethnicity

Over half of the children are over 2

Increase in % served varies by year of age

16

Percentage of Infants & Toddlers Entering Services by Age at Entry *

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36Age in Months

Per

cent

* Age at development of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

17

Eligibility for Early Intervention Services

At-risk16%

Developmental delay64%

Diagnosedcondition

20%

18

Eligibility by Age at Entry

 

32

75

91

36

16

6

32

93

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

< 12 months 12-24 months > 24 months

Developmental Delay Diagnosed Condition At-risk

19

11

1.8

3.6

1.7

2

20.4

3.9

2.9

1.9

5

1.7

18

9.7

40

24.8

3.8

2.8

3.8

9.1

1.6

2.7

4.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Delayed development (global)

Physical growth abnormality*

Sensory systems impairment

Vision impairment*

Hearing impairment*

Motor delays

Physiol./neurolog. system imp.

Intellect./cognitive imp. or delay

Social/behavioral imp.or delay

Speech/communication

Delay in self help skills

Congenital disorders

Down syndrome*

Prenatal/perinatal abnormalities

Low birth weight*

Prenatal exposure*

Illness or chronic disease

Musculosketal disorders

Central nervous sys. disorders

Cerebral palsy*

Medical trtmt., disorder not ID'd

Social environment risk factors

Reasons for Eligibility for EI: 0 to < 12 months

20

Reasons for

Eligibility for EI: 12

to <24 Months

14.8

2.1

4

1.1

2.3

21.9

1.9

7.3

3.3

48.5

2.5

4.9

1.3

9.4

4.3

1.1

1.2

1.4

8.6

4.1

1.1

4.6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Delayed development (global)

Physical growth abnormality*

Sensory systems impairment

Vision impairment*

Hearing impairment*

Motor delays

Physiol./neurolog. system imp.

Intellect./cognitive imp. or delay

Social/behavioral imp.or delay

Speech/communication

Delay in self help skills

Congenital disorders

Down syndrome*

Prenatal/perinatal abnormalities

Low birth weight*

Prenatal exposure*

I llness or chronic disease

Musculosketal disorders

Central nervous sys. disorders

Cerebral palsy*

Medical trtmt., disorder not ID'd

Social environment risk factors

Reasons for Eligibility for EI: 12 to < 24 months

21

11.60.9

2.30.331.5

10.60.7

11.96.2

75.43.5

20.8

3.110.91.4

0.42

1.30.2

2.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Delayed development (global)

Physical growth abnormality*

Sensory systems impairment

Vision impairment*

Hearing impairment*

Motor delays

Physiol./neurolog. system imp.

Intellect./cognitive imp. or delay

Social/behavioral imp.or delay

Speech/communication

Delay in self help skills

Congenital disorders

Down syndrome*

Prenatal/perinatal abnormalities

Low birth weight*

Prenatal exposure*

Illness or chronic disease

Musculosketal disorders

Central nervous sys. disorders

Cerebral palsy*

Medical trtmt., disorder not ID'd

Social environment risk factors

Reasons for Eligibility for EI: 24 to 36 months

22

Average Age for Events Leading to Beginning Early Intervention

7.4 1.4 3.1 2.1 1.7

0 3 6 9 12 15 18

Age in Months

Concerns Diagnosis Looked for EI Referral IFSP

23

Over 1/3 children in EI are low birth weight 

10

0.77

0.7

15

6.1

68

92.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Children entering EI 1997-98 National Live Births 1997*

Perc

ent

< 1000 g 1000-1499g 1500-2499g >2500 g

*Source: Bloom and Tonthat (2002).

EI serving only a fraction of low birth weight babies in US

• 22% began EI after 12 months; 8% between 24 and 30 months (NEILS)

• According to CDC, in 2002: 314,077 LBW births occurred (7.8% of all

births) 58,544 of these were VLBW (1.46% of all

births).

• 39,000 children younger than age 1 were being served in EI in December 2002

24

25

Health Status at Entry to EI

*Source: Bloom and Tonthat (2002).

40.3

12

2

23

14

2527

36

57

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Children in EI Children 0-4 in U.S. 1997*

Perc

ent

Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent

26

Household Characteristics

• 91% live with biological/adoptive mother.

• 69% live with biological/adoptive father.

• 7% are in foster care.

• 16% live in single parent households.

• 43% have household incomes less than $25,000.

• 20% have another child with special needs in the household.

Issues to Ponder

• Differences across states in percent served

• Differences by race/ethnicity

• Growth over time in the 2 to 3 year olds

• Timeline to IFSP• Services to low birth

babies27