Legislative Analyst’s Office Report: Evaluating California’s System for Serving Infants and Toddlers With Special Needs

Executive Summary

California Serves More Than 40,000 Infants and Toddlers With Special Needs. In 2015‑16, California provided early intervention services to about 41,000 infants and toddlers with special needs. These infants and toddlers either have a disability (such as a visual or hearing impairment) or a significant developmental delay (such as not beginning to speak or walk when expected). The state’s early intervention system provides these infants and toddlers with services such as speech therapy and home visits focused on helping parents promote their child’s development. Parts of California’s early intervention system date back more than 35 years. During this time, the state has not regularly, or even periodically, evaluated this system. In this report, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the system.

For the full report, please visit the LAO’s website.