In this NY Daily News article, ACTS leads the urgent call for a long overdue rate increase in the NYS Early Intervention Program.
More than 1 in 5 young children referred for support did not receive an evaluation from 2018 to 2022, or results were still pending, according to a new audit from the state comptroller. Referral rates and evaluations also decreased by at least 20% the first year of the pandemic.
On top of that, a large share had to wait longer than legally mandated time lines, and more than half of the age group who navigated the evaluation process did not receive all the services to which they were entitled, such as speech or physical therapy, the figures showed.
“Failure to provide babies and toddlers with early-intervention services misses a critical window of opportunity and increases the risk of significant developmental and learning delays, and the need for more special education services in the future,” state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement.
