Systems Change to Increase Referrals to Early Intervention for Children in Mississippi

Abstract

The First Steps Early Intervention Program (EIP) in Mississippi (MS) is a federal- and state-funded program that provides services for children (birth to three) who are delayed developmentally (“First Steps program”, n.d.). Based on Mississippi Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) data, approximately 13% of children in MS are eligible for EIP services, yet only 1.52% of children in Mississippi actually receive these services. Children who do not receive these essential early intervention services suffer from moderate to severe developmental issues, often with long-term consequences.

The Children’s Foundation of Mississippi (CFM) partnered with The Mississippi Department of Education Early Childhood (MDE), Mississippi State Social Science Research, and the Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center, along with First Steps, to identify the system’s process and infrastructure issues that result in low referrals to EIP in the state. This doctoral thesis aims to evaluate the First Steps EIP, identify factors that result in low rates of referrals, and recommend improvements to increase the numbers of eligible children who actually receive services.

The project used a qualitative research approach, based on semi-structured interviews, to collect information and insights from early intervention leaders in Mississippi. Interviews of EIP experts in six other states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Texas) also helped to identify best practices that could be adopted by Mississippi.

The findings informed recommendations in several key areas, including child find and referral, intake and eligibility determination, child evaluation and assessment, development of the individualized family service plan, and the infrastructure that is necessary to support a robust EIP.

The results of this study were shared with the Early Childhood Council Task Force and the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi. Momentum is growing in Mississippi to improve the First Steps program, and one goal is for the findings of this project to support and complement the findings and recommendations of the Mississippi Early Intervention Task Force, published in December 2023.