Preschool Service Delivery Models. Early Childhood Research Institute: Service Utilization. Findings.

This study examined the variety of service delivery models used to provide services to preschool children with disabilities in nine diverse communities across three states (Colorado, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania). Information was derived primarily from interviews conducted with community preschool program administrators, service providers, and families, and analysis of policies and interagency questionnaires completed by representatives of the Local Interagency Coordinating Council in each community. Analysis revealed five qualitatively different organizational models: (1) single-program dominated; (2) network of education providers; (3) loosely coupled systems; (4) moderately coupled interagency systems; and (5) comprehensive interagency systems for all children. Each model is described in terms of: overall organizational structure, amount and nature of interagency decision making, target population, and scope and nature of service resources utilized. The study found that eight of the nine communities had made progress in moving from a narrow, insular approach to service delivery. State policy appeared to facilitate development of more coordinated service delivery models, as did interagency structures developed for infant and toddler programs. The study also concluded that federal policy, which aligns requirements for preschool children to those for school-age children, appears to pose a major barrier to the development of comprehensive and coordinated models. Data tables are appended. (Contains 17 references.) (DB)