Early Intervention (EI) provides critical services to infants and toddlers with or at risk of developmental delays or disabilities. Research shows that getting children the right support early makes a real difference in their development and saves money in the long run. But across the country, too many families are running into barriers that make it hard to access these services in a timely manner.
One chronic issue plaguing EI systems is that the advocates and organizations working to improve them are stretched too thin. Too few people are working on EI policy, and they often lack the shared infrastructure—tools, networks, and resources—needed to accelerate change and improve outcomes.
To better understand the predominant issues facing EI systems across the country, and to assess what states are doing to address these challenges, Start Early conducted a landscape analysis across 17 states. We reviewed federal and state policy, research, and reports, and we talked directly with early childhood advocates, providers, and family leaders. The following report captures what we learned, including: the core challenges states are facing, key policy levers to drive change, effective advocacy strategies, and what states are doing to increase advocacy capacity. These findings are intended to support federal, state, and local systems leaders and advocates who are working to drive improvements within the EI system.
