National Association of Private Special Education Centers

Intensity of Services Study: 2006-2007

Who are we?

The National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC) is a non-profit association whose mission is to represent private special education centers.  We promote high quality programs for individuals with disabilities and their families.  We advocate for access to the continuum of alternative placements and services.

 

Why are the results of the NAPSEC Intensity of Services Study important?

The NAPSEC Intensity of Services project was undertaken to demonstrate the wide system of services our member agencies deliver to individuals of all ages and all severe disability categories.

 

Who Participated in the Study?

144 programs from 119 member agencies located in 20 states participated: 12 early intervention programs (8%), 113 school programs * (79%), and 19 adult programs (13%).  17,857 ** persons (69% male, 31% female), ranging in age from 3 to 65 years or more were enrolled in these programs.

 Participating member agencies came from the following states: 

Alabama

New Hampshire

Arizona

New Jersey

California

New York

Connecticut

North Carolina

Georgia

Pennsylvania

Illinois

Rhode Island

Kentucky

Tennessee

Maryland

Texas

Massachusetts

Virginia

Minnesota

Utah

 

·         By 2004, private approved schools served about 1.5% of students with disabilities.  As Green & Winters (2007) indicate, “The fact is that private placement is extremely rare.”  These authors go on to state that private placement is reserved for the most disabled students.

·          ** 93% of the study population is funded through federal, state, and local funds.  The remaining 7%, 1342 persons (59% male, 41% female), were enrolled without any public funding (70% in school programs and 30% in adult programs) and are not included in this study.

 

 

 

Highlights: Early Intervention Programs

  What have we learned about Early Intervention programs from national studies?

  • When compared to the general population, the children attending early intervention programs are most likely boys in poorer health who were born at low birth weights. (NEILS, 2001)

  • Half of the children served by Early Intervention programs no longer need special services by the time of school entry. (NLTS2, Wave 1, Parent Interviews, 2001)

  What services do children in Early Intervention programs in the public sector receive? 

  • 52%

Speech/language therapy
  • 39%

Occupational therapy
  • 37%

Physical therapy
  • 19%

Family training

 (NEILS, Service Records, 1998-99)  

Which children attend NAPSEC’s private approved Early Intervention programs?

 

  • The majority of the children (78%) served in NAPSEC’s Early Intervention programs

       had Developmental Delays (60%) or Preschool Disabilities (18%)

  

What services are offered by NAPSEC’s Early Intervention programs?

 

·        67%

Offer intense speech/language therapy

·        67%

Offer occupational therapy

·        67%

Offer physical therapy

·        67%

Offer additional intense services, such as parent support, in-home counseling/ training, one-to-one assistance, home visits

·        67%

Offer a summer session to help prevent regression

 

 

·        92%

Have a ratio of direct service staff to individual that ranges from 1:1 to 1:4

 

 

 

Highlights: School Programs

 

What have we learned about special education services in public schools from national studies? 

 

  • At least half of all students, including those with emotional and multiple disabilities, receive mental health services outside of school (NLTS2, 2004)

 

  • Students with ED have poor outcomes while in school and after leaving school

 (NLTS, 1991, 1995; NLTS2 2004)

 

  • About 30% of students with ED report difficulties in obtaining needed services

 (NLTS2, 2004)

 

  • About 27% of students with Multiple Disabilities report difficulties in obtaining services (NLTS2, 2004)

 

  • Success in special education depends upon small school size, small class size, and small caseloads for support personnel (NLTS2, 2004)

 

What services do students receive in the public sector from or through school programs?

 

·         15%

Personal counseling

·           8%

Service coordination

·         25%

Speech/language therapy

·         11%

Occupational

·           1%

Nursing care

·         18%

Assistive technology

 

(NLTS2 Wave 1, Parent Interviews, 2001)

 

 

Who are the students in NAPSEC’s private approved school programs?

 

  • The majority of the students (56%) served in NAPSEC’s schools have been diagnosed with either an Emotional/Behavioral (31%) or Multiple Disability (25%)

 

What services were offered at school in NAPSEC’s school programs?

 

·       77%

Offer personal counseling at school

 

·       65%

Offer career counseling

·       68%

Offer other types of counseling at school*

 

·       61%

Offer help in finding a job

·       78%

Offer service coordination

 

·       69%

Offer training in job skills

·       88%

Offer speech/language therapy

 

·       82%

Offer transitional services

·       69%

Offer occupational therapy

 

·       67%

Offer assistive technology/device services

·       84%

Offer nursing care services

 

·       85%

Offer summer session to prevent regression

 

·    91%

Have a ratio of direct service staff to individual that ranges from 1:1 to 1:4

 

 

*Includes group, parent/guardian, family, art, aquatics, horticulture, movement, music, play, recreation therapy

 

 

Highlights: Adult Programs

 

 What have we learned about adults with disabilities from national studies? 

 

  • Only 29% of adults with disabilities are employed (Harris Survey, 1998)

 

  • Individuals with medium and high functional cognitive skills are more likely to be engaged in mainstream adult activities than those with lower skill levels (NLTS2, 2004)

 

 What programs are adults with disabilities most likely to attend?

 

·         10%

In post-secondary education or vocational rehabilitation

·         34%

Competitively employed

·         33%

Attend day activity or training centers

·         17%

In supportive employment

·         35%

In sheltered workshops

 (National Transition Study of Individuals with Severe Disabilities, 1997) 

 

Which adults attend NAPSEC’s programs?

 

  • The majority (58%) of the adults with disabilities in NAPSEC’s programs are diagnosed with Mental Retardation (32%) or Multiple Disabilities (26%)

  

What services were offered by NAPSEC’s adult programs?

 

·       53%

Offer other types of counseling*

 

·       68%

Offer career counseling

·       58%

Offer nursing care services

 

·       74%

Offer transportation

·       68%

Offer career counseling

 

·       63%

Offer assistive technology/devices

·       84%

Offer help in finding a job

 

·       67%

Offer other services, such as, mentoring,

·       79%

Offer training in job skills

 

 

respite, home visits, family support

·       63%

Offer vocational education

 

·       74%

Offer transitional services

·       74%

Offer supported employment

 

·       79%

Offer service coordination

·       53%

Offer sheltered employment

 

·       42%

Offer summer program to prevent regression

 

·      84%

Have a ratio of direct service staff to individual that ranges from 1:1 to 1:4

  

*Includes group, family, art, and music therapy

 

 

Charts for each - early intervention, school and adult programs will be posted shortly...

 

 

 

 

 

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