Valid Use of Clinical Judgment (Informed Opinion) for Early Intervention Eligibility

Policy research acknowledges that traditional testing for detecting developmental delay fails to match the incidence rates of young children who need early intervention. Clinical judgement approaches are the primary alternatives for early identification supported by federal and state regulations; however, an absence of research and uniform methodologies for clinical judgment limit this approach. This article reviews the evidence-based and practice characteristics for valid use of clinical judgment in early intervention.