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Optimized Early Intervention

Ensure equitable access to Early Intervention services, supports that can make a lifelong difference.

Across Illinois, there is a clear lack of awareness of Early Intervention (EI) services available to families and the criteria for who can access these services, even among early childhood and health care providers.

Take Action for Early Intervention

A critical support for young children goes underutilized

As a result, many young children do not receive these critical developmental supports that can make a difference in their lifelong trajectory—and can reduce the need for more costly interventions down the road. In fact, approximately only 4% of children under age 3 in Illinois receive EI services, although research indicates that 13% of children could be eligible for EI services.

In order to reach more families and appropriately respond to projected growth in demand for equitable EI services, state agencies must drastically modify and invest in the current EI program.

Only 4% of

children under

age 3 receive

EI services.

How to Get There

Ensure primary referral sources (families, early childhood providers, health professionals, etc.) and EI evaluation teams understand and use the current EI eligibility criteria to make appropriate referrals and eligibility determinations
Implement strategies, such as telehealth, for decreasing service delays for families and children
Modify program delivery to engage and serve children and families with complex needs, including children experiencing homelessness, involved in the child welfare system and who are lead-exposed

Establish a diverse taskforce to develop recommendations for modifying eligibility criteria for EI to reach more young children at-risk of or with developmental delays
Establish billing mechanisms to promote teaming across EI provider disciplines and with other early childhood providers to best support families
Increase state and federal funding to respond to projected growth in demand for EI services
Continue annual rate increases to improve recruitment and retention of EI professionals
Increase the number of EI professionals with an intentional focus on providers who are ethnically, culturally and linguistically representative of the families and children served
Implement ongoing and embedded professional development to strengthen professionals’ knowledge and skills
Decrease Service Coordinator caseloads to increase the quality of care families receive and promote staff retention
Ensure the new EI data system is an online data management system accessible to all relevant stakeholders that supports real-time data collection, reporting, billing and monitoring and promotes teaming across EI professionals
Develop and launch a public awareness campaign to promote community awareness about EI, its purpose and benefits, what high-quality services look like, and how to access services
Expand the Early Intervention Training Program to provide education and support to families receiving EI services to ensure they understand what to expect and can meaningfully participate

Projected Outcome

Reach an additional 22,000 families eligible for services, double the number of children who receive EI services today
Innovative program delivery methods that decrease service delays for families and children
Reach an increased number of eligible children and families with complex needs, including children experiencing homelessness, involved in the child welfare system and who are lead-exposed

An additional

22,000

families

reached

Higher quality of care

& increased

continuity

of care

An EI workforce that is representative of the children served, including providers who are ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse
Positive recruitment and retention of EI professionals
Higher quality of care provided and increased continuity of care among families and their Service Coordinator
Increased awareness among families and communities of available EI services and how to access them

Resources for Families

Are you waiting for EI services to begin? Find helpful resources below:

Know your rights! If your baby qualifies for Early Intervention you are legally entitled to services. Review the timeline for a callback, evaluation and the start of services. Revisa el calendario para una llamada, evaluación e inicio de servicios.
Review our Early Intervention Legislative Fact Sheet.
If you have not received a callback or evaluation, or if you've been evaluated but services have not begun, you can file a complaint through your local Child and Family Connections office.
- Guidance for Families
- Guidance for Providers
- Guía en Español
- Need help filing your complaint? Schedule an appointment with Equip for Equality for extra support.