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Washington's Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program Study

Enrollment of Washington Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs in Washington State Public Programs on December 1, 1997

An estimated 2.5% of children under the age of three in the state of Washington have delaying or disabling conditions. Infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families are eligible to receive an array of public early intervention services, although all those eligible may not seek enrollment in state programs. State agencies, families, and local communities share a common vision for developing a system of coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered and culturally relevant early intervention services for these children with developmental disabilities and their families.

This report presents information on infants and toddlers, ages birth to three with delaying or disabling conditions, who were enrolled in Washington State public services on December 1, 1997. A child was defined as enrolled if the child 1) was determined to be eligible for services, 2) was receiving services, and/or 3) had a completed service plan.

Summary of Findings

• In Washington State, 5,007 infants and toddlers under three years of age were found to be enrolled in public early intervention services for delaying or disabling conditions as of December 1, 1997.

• The rate of enrollment in services in Washington (2.1%) was somewhat lower than the rate found in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for children with limitations in some daily activity (2.4%).

• The enrollment rate (3.4%) for Medicaid eligible children, with family incomes up to 200% of the FPL, was greater than that for non-Medicaid children (1.1%). The proportion of enrolled children who were Medicaid eligible (73%) was significantly greater than that for all children in Washington (48%). These patterns are similar among children in the NHIS with reported limitations.

• The enrollment rate for children of mothers with no prenatal care (6.8%) was over three times higher than that for children of mothers who received first trimester prenatal care (2.0%).

• Characteristics of infants at birth that were associated with high enrollment rates include low birthweight (11.1%), preterm birth (6.0%), and Apgar score less than 8 (10.3%). Male children had a higher enrollment rate than female children (2.5% versus 1.9%).

• Among children who were Medicaid eligible with diagnosed medical conditions, enrollment rates were highest for those with Down Syndrome (93.1%) and cerebral palsy (81.6%). High rates were also evident among children with cleft lip and/or palate (58.0%), other developmental disorders or delays (34.8%), hearing loss and congenital anomalies of the ear, face, and neck (21.6%), other congenital and chromosomal anomalies ( 19.3%), and developmental speech and language disorder (18.2%).

• Children of mothers with diagnosed substance abuse had an enrollment rate of more than three times that for all other Medicaid children in Washington (9.5% versus 3.0%).

Modified: Thursday November 17 2005

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