Early Intervention Service Intensity and Change in Children's Functional Capabilities.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate correlates of early intervention (EI) service dosage and gains in children's functional capabilities from EI entry and discharge. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Secondary analyses of a subset of data (N=1005) collected from an EI administrative database on children discharged from a large, urban EI program between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2016. PARTICIPANTS: Children who were EI eligible due to developmental delay, had received an EI care plan and at least 1 billable EI service, and had outcomes data at EI entry and exit (N=1005). Measured child characteristics included age (49.0% 12-24mo; n=492), sex (36.0% female; n=362), number of developmental delays (76.1% had 1 developmental delay; n=765), and number of EI services received (78.5% received multiple; n=789). INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes were EI service intensity (hours per month) and change in functional capabilities as measured via the state-mandated Child Outcomes Summary (COS). Adjusted quantile median regression estimated EI intensity. Adjusted linear regression estimated change in function for social-emotional, cognitive, and adaptive domains of the COS. Measures of children's developmental delay severity, age at EI entry, race and ethnicity, sex, and language. RESULTS: Children older than 24 months old experienced significantly higher EI service intensity (b=0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.63). Child age and EI service intensity were significantly linked to gains in social and cognitive COS score changes from EI entry to exit. CONCLUSIONS: Older children receive a higher intensity of EI services. EI service intensity and age were linked with positive changes in functional gains.

Social and Functional Characteristics of Receipt and Service Use Intensity of Core Early Intervention Services.

OBJECTIVE: Describe children's diagnostic, social, and functional characteristics associated with the use of core early intervention (EI) services. METHODS: The sample included infants and toddlers (N = 2045) discharged from an urban EI program (2014-2016). Adjusted logit models estimated the marginal effects and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of receipt of any of the 4 core EI services, controlling for the child's developmental condition type, race and ethnicity, primary language, sex, insurance type, age at referral, and functional performance at EI entry. Adjusted median regression estimated EI core service intensity controlling for child characteristics. RESULTS: The median per-child EI service intensity was less than 3 h/mo (median, 2.7; interquartile range, 2.1-3.5). Children whose primary language was English were 6% more likely to receive occupational therapy (marginal effect = 0.063; 95% CI, 0.010-0.115). Compared to infants, 1- to 2-year-old children were less likely to receive physical therapy and occupational therapy but more likely to receive speech therapy. Compared to infants, 1-year-olds received more intensive speech therapy (ß = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.10-0.70), and 2-year-olds received less intensive occupational therapy (ß = -0.70; 95% CI, -1.35 to -0.10). Children's functional performance at EI entry was significantly associated with the receipt and intensity of EI services. CONCLUSIONS: Many EI-enrolled children received low-intensity services, a result that was associated with the primary language of the caregiver and the child's age and functional status. Results suggest the need for interventions to improve service delivery for vulnerable EI subgroups.