| Sumario: | Highlights: What are the main findings? Eighty-five percent (85%) of young children with mild developmental delays met program-defined criteria for improvement following short-term, community-based intervention. Comparable rates of improvement were observed across service types and most family characteristics. What are the implications of the main findings? Community-funded programs may help address services gaps for children ineligible for IDEA Part C or Part B funded services. Short-term early intervention services may contribute to equity in access to developmental support. Background/Objectives: Early intervention is associated with improved outcomes for young children with developmental delays, yet many with mild delays are ineligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Early Discovery (ED) Program addressed this gap by providing short-term, targeted intervention for children ages 0–5 who did not qualify for publicly funded services. This study evaluated program outcomes across intervention types. Methods: During 2024–2025, 342 families completed the ED Program, receiving one of the following: speech-language (68%), general developmental (12%), occupational (14%), or behavioral (6%) intervention across 8–20 sessions. Eligibility required Miami-Dade residency and ineligibility for IDEA-funded services. Standardized pre- and post-intervention assessments were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and group comparisons. Results: Most households reported incomes <$70,000 (71%), with many experiencing additional risk factors including prematurity (15%), public or no insurance (47%), limited English proficiency (21%), and single-caregiver households (30%). Overall, 85% of children met criteria for improvement. Improvement rates varied by child ethnicity. No statistically significant differences were observed by child age, race, gender, prematurity, insurance status, caregiver demographics, household characteristics, or intervention type. Sensitivity analyses largely confirmed the primary findings, with ethnicity no longer significant and younger age emerging as a significant predictor of improvement. Conclusions: Findings suggest short-term, targeted intervention may support developmental progress among young children with mild delays who would otherwise remain unserved. Community-based programs such as ED may play a critical role in advancing developmental equity by reaching children with developmental and socioeconomic risk factors prior to school entry.
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