Current Realities:

• There are 25,300 children in Cumberland County between the ages of birth and five years, and not in kindergarten. Research shows that 15% to 18% of all children have developmental or behavioral disabilities (Boyle, et al., Pediatrics 93: 399, 1994), equating to 3,795 Cumberland County children, between the ages of birth and five years of age, and not in kindergarten, potentially having developmental or behavioral disabilities.
• The Performance Based Incentive High-Performing Standard for early intervention mandates that 5% (1,265) of this population will be identified and will receive the services they require. Currently in Cumberland County, only 3.2% (2005-06 PBIS Data) of children between the ages of birth and three years of age have been identified and are receiving services.
• While 3% (2005 06 PBIS Data) of children between the ages of three and five have been identified and are receiving services*, the system struggles to identify all children who are eligible for services.
• We must identify and provide services to at least 266 additional children, between the ages of birth and three, and by 2010, to meet the Performance-Based Incentive System for early intervention.
• Realistically, however, we realize that as many as 2,530 children between the ages of birth and five years, and not in kindergarten, need to be identified and provided with early intervention services.
• The NC Early Intervention Branch changed the eligibility criteria for the Infant-Toddler program.   The change eliminated the at-risk eligibility criteria. The early intervention system wass flooded with referrals and this change ensures that more children, already diagnosed with delays could receive the services they need.   This change improves the service delivery systems not solve the problem.   Even with this change data show there could be 5,500 children on the waiting list by March 2008, and this number does not even include the children that have mild delays and will not be able to receive services based on the modified guidelines.
• There are many children in Cumberland County that will not be eligible for intervention through the Infant-Toddler program and/or the Early-In preschool program that present with mild delays.   These families need access to intervention services that will enhance daily activities at home and in the community with the purpose of enhance their child’s development. Care Management Services was selected as the DSP to serve at-risk children and those not eligible for IT or preschool.   Child Services Coordination serves at-risk children too but has a waiting list.
• Medicaid case managers work with 74 practices in Cumberland County and all are implementing screenings. Need to strengthen connections to further evaluations and therapies.