The Importance of Early Intervention

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The general community need for the social and economic benefits of early intervention is well-documented.  By addressing development issues during the child’s period of maximum rate of learning and development, early intervention can, in many cases, avoid more costly special education services later on and can, in some cases, result in the child being indistinguishable from typical classmates in later years.  A three-year Tennessee study showed that every dollar spent on early intervention yields a $7.00 savings within thirty-six months. Another study spanning four decades documented a return to society of more than $17 for every tax dollar invested in early education.  Providing coping strategies to families yields less child abuse and permits parents more release time for leisure and employment.