Part C Early Intervention Referral and Eligibility for Children with Diagnosed Medical Conditions: An Exploratory Study in Two States
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Date
2024-01-09
Authors
Yadav, Asha
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Insufficient referral and participation in Part C Early Intervention (EI) services are common among children aged birth to 3 years, including those automatically eligible due to diagnosed medical conditions. States have established lists of diagnosed medical conditions to streamline eligibility determination for these children. However, there is limited understanding regarding the knowledge and utilization of the state-approved lists as well as the associated policies and referral practices, among pediatricians and Part C EI personnel. To address this gap and gather recommendations for improvement, a concurrent embedded mixed-method study was conducted in Michigan and Washington. The study involved survey questionnaire completed by 193 Part C EI personnel and 69 pediatricians, and semi-structured interviews with 45 Part C EI personnel and 22 pediatricians from both states. The findings revealed that pediatricians have significantly (p < 0.05) less knowledge of the state-approved lists, associated policies and referral practices compared to Part C EI personnel. There is considerable variability in how referral practices are implemented by pediatricians and Part C EI personnel, indicating a lack of common understanding. Based on these findings, recommendations are proposed. Some of the short-term recommendations include improving the state-approved lists, development of a state-wide universal web-based referral form for pediatricians and establishing a centralized fax number for efficient information transmission. In the long term, implementing an integrated electronic health record (EHR) system and providing comprehensive training on referral and eligibility determination processes for both Part C EI personnel and pediatricians are emphasized to enhance collaboration and improve EI services.
Description
Keywords
Diagnosed medical conditions, Early intervention and early childhood special education, Infants and toddlers, Part C EI eeferral, Part C EI eligibility determination, State-approved list of diagnosed medical conditions