Early Childhood Care Coordination Through 211: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Public Health
• Healthcare Coordination

Background:

• Early intervention services are crucial for children with developmental delays.
• Healthcare providers face challenges in ensuring timely referrals and service access.
• Los Angeles County has a need for improved developmental service coordination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the effectiveness of telephone-based care coordination for early childhood development.
• To increase referral and enrollment rates in developmental services and early care and education (ECE).
• To evaluate the role of 211 LA, a health and human services call center, in this process.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving children aged 12-42 months was conducted.
• Children received developmental screening and either usual care or telephone-based care coordination via 211 LA.
• Outcomes measured at 6-month follow-up included parent-reported referral and enrollment in developmental services and ECE.

Main Results:

• Intervention group showed significantly higher referral rates for developmental services (25% vs 16%) and ECE (58% vs 15%).
• Enrollment in developmental services (15% vs 9%) and ECE (26% vs 10%) was also significantly higher in the intervention group.
• Adjusted odds ratios indicated substantial improvements in both referral and enrollment for the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• Telephone-based care coordination through 211 LA effectively connects children to developmental services and ECE.
• This model offers a scalable solution to address disparities in accessing early intervention.
• Improved care coordination can enhance developmental outcomes for young children.