During March of 2020, WV declared a statewide Stay-at-Home Order to attempt to reduce the spread and infection rate of COVID 19. While this was a necessary step to ensure the health and safety of WV residents, the WV Birth to Three (WVBTT) early intervention program anticipated a decline in the number of infants/toddlers referred and enrolled in the program due to its nature of providing services in family homes. The program anticipated it being impossible to complete evaluations for eligibility and provide services while trying to comply with the stay-at-home order. WVBTT leaders in collaboration with leaders in the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health quickly made the decision to allow WVBTT services to be provided remotely using phone and video conferencing. An interactive data dashboard was created to monitor referrals and enrollments weekly to measure impact to the program from COVID-19 and the stay-at-home order. Through this interactive data dashboard, WVBTT leaders and local program coordinators at the Regional Administrative Units were able to monitor close to real time their referral and enrollment numbers to make important local program decisions regarding child find and service provision. The program did initially see a sharp decline (66%) in referrals to the program during the week of the stay-at-home order. Enrollments into the program were affected gradually over time with our lowest enrollment numbers observed in May of 2020. WVBTT referral numbers started rising again after just three months from the stay-at-home order and enrollment numbers started to increase again in June 2020. While the program did observe lower than normal referral and enrollment numbers throughout the stay-at-home order, WVBTT never stopped serving families completely. Families who were currently receiving services through the program when the stay-at-home order was implemented were offered the option to continue their services remotely through phone/video conferencing. Most families accepted these virtual services. Enrolled professionals with WVBTT reported challenges in providing services to families through virtual means but overall heard that families were thankful to continue to have WVBTT services during the time. Enrolled professionals also reported that in some cases they observed greater parent involvement during virtual services as they needed to coach the parents more because of the nature of providing services through virtual means. In the spring of 2021, with the stay-at-home order being lifted, WVBTT adapted again their services to give families options for services to be provided in their home with safety precautions or continue with virtual services. Currently WVBTT is providing services in mixed methods (virtual and in the home) and for some months in 2021 and 2022, referral and enrollment numbers are reported above previous years.
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