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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 2, 1996

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 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, birth to three with delaying or disabling conditions who were enrolled in Washington State public services on December 2, 1996. 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, 4,472 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 2, 1996.

• The rate of enrollment in services in Washington (1.9%) was somewhat lower than the rate found in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for children with limitations in some daily activity (2.2%).

• The proportion of enrolled children in Washington who were Medicaid eligible with family incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (74%) was greater than the proportion of NHIS children with reported limitations who are at or below 200% of the FPL (63%).

• The enrollment rate for children of mothers with no prenatal care (5.4%) was over three times higher than that for children of mothers who received first trimester prenatal care (1.7%).

• Characteristics of infants at birth that were associated with high enrollment rates include low birthweight (9.0%), preterm birth (5.1%), and Apgar score less than 8 (8.3%). Male children had a higher enrollment rate than female children (2.2% versus 1.6%).

• Among children who were Medicaid eligible with diagnosed medical conditions, enrollment rates were highest for those with Down Syndrome (85.1%) and cerebral palsy (84.8%). High rates were also evident among children with cleft lip and/or palate (55.2%), other developmental disorders or delays (31.7%), developmental speech and language disorder (26.7%), congenital and chromosomal anomalies other than Down Syndrome and cleft lip and/or palate ( 25.7%), and hearing loss and congenital anomalies of the ear, face, and neck (22.8%).

• Children of mothers with diagnosed substance abuse had an enrollment rate over two and one half times that for all other Medicaid children in Washington (7.9% versus 2.7%).

Modified: Thursday November 17 2005

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