State Variability in Diagnosed Conditions for IDEA Part C Eligibility.
Brian Barger, Jane Squires, Maureen Greer and 9 others
PMID 32327900WHAT IT FOUND
State lists for IDEA Part C eligibility vary wildly, from zero to 167 conditions.
Hearing impairment and FAS are most common. Most listed conditions are rare, and no clear policy defines which diagnoses qualify a child for early intervention.
Key findings
01State lists of diagnosed conditions for Part C eligibility vary widely, ranging from no conditions to 167 conditions.
02Hearing impairment was the most frequently listed condition across states, followed by fetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome.
03Most of the top 66 commonly listed conditions are rare or very rare, and many are listed by fewer than 20 states.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Data collection was difficult because many states did not publish their lists online. Prevalence estimates for rare conditions are tentative due to limited literature. The study describes policy lists, not actual service receipt, so it does not show which children actually get services. State lists may be outdated or incomplete.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a child with a listed condition will automatically receive services. The study highlights policy variability, not clinical outcomes or actual service delivery rates.