Political, Economic, and Practical Issues Affecting the Development of Universal Early Intervention for Handicapped Infants

Abstract

This paper reviews several factors that will affect the degree to which efforts to create an infant intervention program for all handicapped infants are successful. The absence of leadership from the federal level, caused by changing political and economic conditions, is discussed, along with several practical programmatic issues (setting, staffing, identifying). A strategy for achieving universal infant intervention, building on the existing political culture, is proposed. Finally, the provisions of P.L. 99–457, enacted in October 1986, creating a discretionary infant intervention program, are outlined.