Coordinated and Integrated Data System for the Early Identification (CIDSEI) of Young Children with Developmental Delays or Disabilities

November 17, 2021

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) has expanded its National Center on Disability in Public Health efforts with a one-year project to identify states or territories with coordinated and integrated data systems for the early identification (CIDSEI) of young children with developmental delays or disabilities and to use this information to develop and pilot tools, materials, and resources to support additional states and territories in the development of a CIDSEI. This project, beginning September 1, 2021, has been made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administered through a cooperative agreement with AUCD. AUCD is excited to partner with the Help Me Grow National Center (HMG National) as a subcontractor for this work.  

Help Me Grow is an evidence-based model that works to promote collaboration across child-serving sectors to build a more efficient and effective system that supports the healthy development of young children. HMG National's work not only directly aligns with the collection of data on the early identification of young children with developmental delays and disabilities, but their Help Me Grow National Affiliate Network also represents a coalition of states, communities, and individuals invested in early childhood systems that optimally serve all families and children.  

The purpose of the CIDSEI project is to address system coordination and enhance the ability to track and monitor children with and or at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). AUCD and HMG National will partner to develop, implement, and evaluate activities to support states and territories to improve the collection, management, interpretation, and dissemination of data to guide their decision-making related to the four "steps" of early identification of young children with developmental delays or disabilities. This project will also support work to investigate and leverage existing successful models to produce tools and resources for communities to implement promising practices related to a CIDSEI, with an emphasis placed on the successful use of tools within systems in under-resourced communities.  

To guide this effort, AUCD and HMG National are forming a CIDSEI Advisory Council with members from national organizations as well as federal partners whose current and past work scope includes the collection of data within the larger early childhood system. The CIDSEI Advisory Council will work in tandem with AUCD/CDC and HMG National to inform the activities of this project.  

We encourage you to follow along with the progress of the CIDSEI project and reach out to Betsey Howe for further information about this effort.