Kid's Can't Wait

Parents, providers, and advocates have become increasingly concerned with the growing scarcity of Early Intervention (EI) and Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) services for children in Monroe County. Many well-known providers have closed or ceased providing services like Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Therapy to young children, and waiting lists for these services are growing throughout the community.

The Children’s Agenda, in consultation with other early childhood services stakeholders like the Early Childhood Development Initiative (ECDI) and ROC the Future (RtF), decided to conduct an analysis of the cost and revenue structures of these “Related Services.” The purpose of the analysis is to determine whether current reimbursement rates are sufficient to attract a large enough workforce to meet the needs of children exhibiting developmental concerns. Funding to support this study was generously provided by Rochester’s Child at the Rochester Area Community Foundation.