Overview
Between zero to three years old, a child’s brain is developing 1 million new neural connections per second. 90% of our brain is fully developed by age 5.
The Early Intervention (EI) program was established in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to guarantee every infant and toddler the chance to reach important developmental milestones during this critical time. New York’s Early Intervention program is currently not able to deliver on that promise.
Change is possible
The primary cause of these failures is inadequate investment by the state in the EI program, with low and stagnant reimbursement rates leading to an exodus of therapists to other settings where they can make significantly higher income. The result is children and their families left waiting for weeks and months.
Read more to find out the facts, where the obstacles are, and the difference that investments in Early Intervention can make.