Early Intervention Programs

There are several ways children can participate in an early intervention program. The most common way is by having their level of development assessed using a formal, standardized assessment. Individual states have regulations regarding the use of these assessments and their role in qualifying children for early intervention services. Children are also eligible to receive early intervention services if they have a known disability, such as Down syndrome, which carries the likelihood that a delay in later development will occur. Finally, in most states, professionals who work with children may recommend that a child receive early intervention services based on their professional judgment.

With the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1977, now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal government requires that states provide early intervention services for children from birth through age five. In most circumstances, these services are provided free of charge to families.

In addition to focusing on children with special needs, the federal government in the 1990s began increasing its early intervention focus on programs for children who are at-risk because of their socioeconomic status as well as other risk factors such as an unstable home environment, including the presence of violence and drug abuse. For children who are at-risk, the most common way to qualify for an early intervention program is for the family's income to be below a certain dollar threshold.