What is the cost of serving infants and toddlers under Part C of IDEA

The results of an extensive study of expenditures over a one-year period for Part C early intervention services will be presented. This is the largest, most comprehensive cost study of early intervention services ever completed Because of funding cuts, many Part C programs are “hanging by their fingernails” – barely surviving. Changes in eligibility criteria have reduced the number of children served, and some states have considered opting out of Part C. However, few states have adequate cost-data to enable informed decisions. To remedy this lack of data, one Part C administrator undertook this study to determine the cost of serving children with various numbers and percentages of delays. The data were examined by numbers and percentages of delays by type of provider, by whether the child was Medicaid-eligible, and by whether the child had an autism-spectrum diagnosis. Additionally, care coordination costs and state and local administrative costs were projected. The costs of providing services in natural environments were determined as well as the average number of hours of service a child or family received. A comparative analysis examined how the costs for 2009 compared with earlier cost studies (with costs adjusted to 2009 dollars). Finally, the session includes qualitative information from interviews with families and providers who made suggestions on how to reduce costs without reducing services. The session will conclude by summarizing the findings of the study along with the recommendations based on the findings. The session will be provocative in challenging possible preconceptions of professionals and policymakers.