Lynn Shea, Director of Early Childhood Education, and Joe Cozzo, President and CEO of Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, recently sat down with PBS Toronto Public Media to discuss the urgent need for increased funding for Early Intervention services in New York State.
A critical funding gap
Providers say that if New York State does not include an increase in the budget to support Early Intervention (EI) this year, they may face difficult decisions about whether they can continue providing these services.
EI provides critical support to children under age 3 with developmental delays, but it has not seen a substantial increase in funding in more than 30 years. In fact, when adjusted for inflation, providers are reimbursed at less than half of what they were when the program began in the early 1990s.
Why Early Intervention cannot wait
Early Intervention is a vital part of a child’s overall development. Their growth, learning, and development cannot wait.
EI is a broad system of support that includes physical therapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis, and relationship-based approaches like DIR Floortime that support social, emotional, and developmental growth.
“Two out of three children who receive early intervention typically do not need preschool or school-age services, so we know it works. However, due to the lack of funding, those kids are not getting services,” Lynn says.
The long-term impact on children and families
Research shows that receiving these services early is fundamental to a child’s long-term success, yet over the years, EI has not received the level of investment it needs.
Children can receive these services until age 3, but many parents are left waiting for their children to be seen before they age out of the program. Many do not receive the support they need before then, and the long-term cost of that delay is significant.
The science behind early development
Joe Cozzo adds to this growing concern by emphasizing just how important the early years are:
“Zero to six, most of what your brain capacity is going to do all the way through your adult years is being cemented and being foundational to you. So, these are magical years, not from the heart, not from the economics, not because of adverse childhood experiences, but because of biologically what’s happening to that child.”
What’s at stake
Organizations like Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center are at a crossroads.
If the state does not increase its funding, difficult decisions may have to be made going forward. Thankfully, BHSC has a Board of Directors that understands the necessity of these programs and services.
Learn more
You can read more about the critical need for EI funding in the full story from PBS Toronto Public Media:
Early intervention in New York at risk if state doesn’t reverse funding losses | Buffalo Toronto Public Media
How you can help
If you would like to help, please reach out to your state legislators and express your support for increased funding for Early Intervention services, including New York State DIR and EI-related legislation that supports children, families, and providers.
We encourage you to take a moment to advocate for these important initiatives by contacting your State Senators and Assembly Members and adding your name in support of these efforts.
You can also use this advocacy form to support New York State legislation related to DIR and Early Intervention services and to help show lawmakers why this funding matters for children and families:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSex_I5AAsvahr1-t3nkH1-QFO1raJn9Jf9NrIOE-nH4rduDbA/viewform
Supporting every child’s potential
Thank you for your continued support in helping us expand access to meaningful, individualized care for children and families.
Through Early Intervention, children build foundational cognitive, social, emotional, and communication skills that support healthy development and help them reach their fullest potential.
