09/25/2026
Many children are referred to Early Intervention (EI) without a clear explanation of the program. EI is a federal program started in 1986 to provide children with developmental delays occupational, physical, and/or speech therapy before they started school.
While the program can be very helpful for families, it does not support ALL children with developmental delays or challenges. As state budgets get tighter, funding gets smaller which results in fewer children able to receive these services.
When a child is found not eligible for services, families are often left wondering what to do. They have concerns, but are being told it’s not a “big enough” concern. Just because a child does not qualify for EI services, doesn’t mean they can’t receive OT, PT, and/or SLP elsewhere. Many children who are not eligible for EI, can (and do!) receive therapy through private clinics (also known as outpatient therapy).
