Prevention as Protection: Children with disabilities in Rhode Island experience less maltreatment with early intervention.

Children with disabilities, developmental delay or are at risk of delay are at a higher risk of maltreatment, neglect, or abuse. However, a 2025 analysis of Rhode Island’s federal Early Intervention (EI) program shows that those who participated were 45% less likely to be neglected later in life. This federal EI policy is designed to support parent’s capacity to care for their child’s specific developmental special needs from birth to age three.