Caring for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities : New Roles for Physicians. Final Report / Corinne W. Garland, Barbara A. Kniest and Andrea C. Quigley.

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 3-year project designed to replicate a uniquely successful training model for involving physicians in community early intervention systems. The Caring for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: New Roles for Physicians (CFIT) model includes three replicable components: state planning, introductory seminars, and independent study. In state planning, a state leadership planning group composed of early intervention personnel, physicians and pediatricians, and other key personnel, worked with project staff to plan the replication process in their own states. Following the state planning, the CFIT seminars introduced pediatricians and family physicians to the concepts of a community-based, interdisciplinary, interagency early intervention approach, to family-centered services, and to the CFIT independent study process. The model was replicated in seven states and territories from October 1, 1997, through September 30, 2000, and trained 964 physicians. Evaluation data have provided strong evidence of the efficacy of the model in increasing both pediatricians' and family physicians' knowledge and competency as members of early intervention teams. The goals and objectives of the project, theoretical framework, problems encountered, evaluation, and impact are discussed. Appendices include CFIT competencies, independent study manual introductory materials, and evaluation measures. (Contains 13 references.) (CR)

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