Florida’s Early Steps Program

Vision: Florida’s infants, toddlers, young children and their families will have access to high quality, integrated supports and services to meet their unique needs. Source: Early Steps website

Who benefits from this program?

Infants and toddlers birth to 36 months with a developmental delay or a condition that places them at risk for developmental delay and their families. This includes children for example with cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, spina bifida, and more mild delays such as speech and language delays.

Who is eligible?

Infants and toddlers who show a 25% or greater delay in any one of the developmental areas. Early Steps is a federal entitlement program and has no financial eligibility requirements.

How many children and families are helped annually?

Early Steps served 38,420 infants and toddlers and their families, in the 2004-2005 year.

Why is this program important?
National research has consistently found that successful early childhood programs decrease the numbers of students placed into expensive special education(FSU, 1991; Belfield, C.R., 2005). Other research shows that the empowering helpgiving practices of early intervention staff leads to improved family and child outcomes(Trivette, Dunst, Boyd & Hamby, 1995; Judge, 1997;Dempsey, I., & Dunst, C.J. (2004).

Who is in charge of the program?

This program began in 1994 and is the vehicle for Florida to implement Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Each state chooses lead-agency. Florida’s lead agency is the Department of Health. The Department contracts with sixteen local Early Steps programs across the state who then coordinate with community agencies and other contracted providers for the delivery of needed supports and services.

What are the legal and financial mechanisms that make this program work?

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C
  • Chapter 391, FloridaStatute, Part III - Developmental Evaluation and Intervention
  • Chapter 393, FloridaStatute - Developmental Services 0-3
  • Early Steps creatively accesses federal, state general revenue, Medicaid and private insurance dollars to provide the services and supports to families.

What are the critical issues?

  • Each year Florida serves more infants and toddlers and their families; e.g. there has been a 6.54 average increase per year.
  • Although there have been some funding increases, it has not been enough!!
  • The Early Steps program has never been included in the Department of Health’s priority list or state budget requests.
  • Privatization of Medicaid will further reduce the supports and services to families unless there is a Medicaid (carve out) for the Early Steps Program.
  • By projecting this trend to the year 2010, Early Steps will spend an average of $713 per year for each child and family.
  • The Department of Health is planning to narrow the eligibility criteria, eliminating vulnerable children, driving up the costs of special education.

Source: Early Steps Public Meeting, September 2005

References:

Florida's Cost Implementation Study for Public Law 99-457, Part H , Infants and Toddlers, Executive Summary, August 1991. FloridaStateUniversityCollege of Law and the Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy, Institute of Science and Public Affairs.

Belfield, C.R., (2005) The Cost Savings to Special Education from Pre-Schooling in Pennsylvania.

Trivette, C.M.; Dunst, C.J.; Boyd, K.; Hamby, D. (1996). Family-oriented program models, help- Giving practices, and parental control appraisals. Exceptional Children, 62(3), 237-248.

Judge, S. (1997). Parental perceptions of help-giving practices and control appraisals in early intervention programs. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, (4), 0271-1214.

Dempsey, I., & Dunst, C.J. (2004). Help-giving styles and parent empowerment in families with a young child with a disability. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 29 (1), 40-51.