Abstract
•There was a six-fold increase in qualified children that were referred to EI from CWS.•Less than one-third of referred children received services after the referral policy mandate.•>20% of CWS referrals had no further engagement after a mandated referral.•Shared catchment areas predicted increased referral and service engagement.•Policy mandates may need further guidelines to help with cross-system collaboration to support young children and families involved with CWS and needing EI services.
In 2003, a reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) mandated the referral of infants and toddlers involved with child welfare services (CWS) to Part C early intervention (EI) services. However, referrals and service engagement remain inconsistent. This study examined whether federal mandated referral legislation was associated with increases in EI service referral and engagement for CWS-involved infants and toddlers in Massachusetts. We also examined variation in referral and engagement patterns and the contextual factors associated with these patterns. Results showed that, prior to the passage of the federal mandate in FY2001, only 10% of qualified young children in Massachusetts were referred for EI services by CWS. When Massachusetts began implementing this policy in FY2012, associated referral rates increased to approximately 55%. However, statewide service engagement declined. Forty-six percent of qualified children referred by CWS engaged in EI services in FY2001, compared to 30% in FY2012. Overlap in catchment areas between CWS and EI programs was a significant predictor of increased EI referral and service engagement for CWS-involved children. Findings suggest that legislative mandates be paired with stronger cross-system alignment, specialized training, and dedicated funding. These supports are necessary to ensure that infants and toddlers are both referred to and engaged in early intervention services and to prevent downstream consequences of maltreatment.