Federal Legislation and Young Handicapped Children

Abstract

Federal legislation related to young handicapped children enacted during the past twenty years is reviewed in terms of the history and current status of several of the most effective and enduring of the early childhood programs. Starting with amendments to the Social Security Act such as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment program (EPSDT) the discussion continues with a brief sketch of other pieces of legislation: the laws that sponsored and expanded the interdisciplinary University Affiliated Facilities (UAFs), the Handicapped Children's Early Assistance Act (the First Chance Network), the Head Start mandate to serve the severely handicapped, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and P.L. 94–142 with its preschool incentive. These important pieces of legislation seem to be more or less firmly entrenched in the federal statutes but optimism must be tempered with caution and vigilance on the part of advocates for early-childhood special education.