Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) provides vital services to infants and toddlers under age three with disabilities, but underfunding is putting both providers and children at risk. Research we conducted with multiple ECI providers during 2024 revealed a number of challenges in the program, including a shortfall between revenue for ECI and the actual expenditures. Additionally, the per-child funding level has not kept pace with inflation, leading to financial strain and service gaps, as operational costs rise and Medicaid reimbursement rates have remained unchanged since 2011.
To ensure ECI programs can continue to meet the growing demand and provide high-quality services, the Texas Legislature should adopt the Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Exceptional Item #5 to account for projected caseload growth. The Legislature should also provide a 6% Medicaid reimbursement increase for key services like Specialized Skills Therapy (SST) and Targeted Case Management (TCM).
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