Committee hears that infants are being missed for early‑intervention referrals

A public commenter told the City Committee for People with Disabilities on July 15 that the city is seeing delays in identifying infants who need Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services.

"We're taking longer to identify children that need an actual referral for ECI when they're under the age of 12 months," the speaker said, and added that their program handles a large caseload: "we handle about I want to say roughly like 100 referrals like close to 300 referrals a month." The commenter said that referrals are plentiful for older infants and toddlers, but that the 0–12 month age group is under‑referred because first‑time parents and some pediatric settings miss early red flags.

Committee members and audience participants discussed outreach measures to raise awareness among new parents and providers. Suggestions included placing visual milestone posters and QR codes in hospital rooms and pediatric waiting areas, coordinating prenatal and newborn education sessions at hospitals, and working with daycare and child development centers to train staff in early recognition. One member recommended partnering with childcare director meetings and local workforce boards to distribute materials and presentations.

Committee staff did not propose formal action during the meeting; they discussed refining outreach plans and exploring ways to connect with hospitals and primary‑care pediatricians to increase early screening and referral rates.