Early Intervention Timing and Intensity

The main finding of this important research from JAMA is extremely promising for early intervention OT professionals.

In the study, greater early intervention service intensity was associated with better functional gains. 

But, there’s a problem.

Federal spending per child on early intervention services has declined over the past decade. And, in this climate of tightening budgets:

Most children in the study had delayed care.

And, low service intensity.

After we review this article, we are so thankful to welcome to the podcast pediatric private practice owner, Sarah Putt, OTR/L. She and I will unpack what this all means for the OT community — and your OT practice.

1. You will be able to recognize barriers to reaching a therapeutic level of therapy intensity.

2. You will be able to identify possible solutions to providing greater intensity for greater functional gains.

• Intro

• Breakdown and analysis of journal article

  • Intro to Early Intervention Timing & Intensity

  • OT Potential Podcast Intro

  • Intro to Early Intervention Services

  • What was the Intent of this Research?

  • What were Their Methods?

  • Results

  • Discussion and Conclusion

• Discussion on practical implications for OTs

  1. Intro to Sarah Putt

  2. Sarah’s Private Practice OT EI Business

  3. Impressions of the Article

  4. Barriers to Service Initiation and Intensity

  5. Possible Solutions for Improving Access to EI

  6. Systems to Improve Communication, with the Referrer and Family

  7. Advice for Starting Your Own EI Business

  8. EI Advocacy at the State and Federal Level

  9. Final Thoughts

Primary

• Timing and intensity of early intervention service use and outcomes among a safety-net population of children

Additional

• Ensuring Timely Connection to Early Intervention for Young Children With Developmental Delays

• Occupational therapy practice guidelines for early childhood: Birth–5 years

• Child characteristics and early intervention referral and receipt of services: a retrospective cohort study

More OT and EI Resources

• OT and Early Intervention Guide

It is the policy of OT Potential to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

OT Potential pays guest speakers an honorarium for their participation, either directly or to an institution of the speaker's choosing at their request. We invite guests whose expertise often comes from practices, programs, or building products in their field. Where a speaker has a financial interest in the subject of a course, we disclose it below so you can weigh it for yourself.

OT Potential's interest in this topic: We have no financial stake in this topic.

Speaker interests: Sarah Putt is founder and clinical director of Sarah Bryan Therapy, an early intervention practice that provides the services discussed in this course.