Abstract
To identify the per-child cost of providing Part C services, the authors analyzed extensive statewide expenditure data in Hawai'i to determine the monthly and annual costs of providing early intervention services to infants and toddlers and their families. Identified were the costs of serving children with various numbers and percentages of delay, the cost of providing care-coordination services, and the administrative costs for local- and state-level providers of Part C services. Furthermore, the data provided an opportunity to identify the cost of transportation in providing Part C services. The authors also analyzed the cost of serving 2 special populations of children: (1) children receiving Medicaid and (2) children with an autism-spectrum diagnosis. In addition to findings on costs, other significant findings emerged from the study. Two-thirds of the enrolled children had 3 or more significant delays. The cost of transportation consumed more than one-fourth of service expenditures. Children received on the average fewer than 3 hours of service per month. Overall administrative costs amounted to 41.4% of total program expenditures. Most surprising was that the state was spending less per child than it was a decade ago. The study provides previously unavailable information on the cost of early intervention services.