Decreased access to therapeutic services for children with disabilities during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in Western Pennsylvania

PURPOSE: Assess the effects of stay-at-home orders on access to services utilized by families of children with disabilities (CWD). METHODS: Cross-sectional weekly surveys were fielded over four weeks, during which western Pennsylvania was under stay-at-home orders. Respondents were divided into families of CWD (N = 233) or without CWD (N = 1582). Survey questions included measures of socio-economic status, and families of CWD answered questions regarding access to services pre and post-initiation of stay-at-home orders. Differences between families with and without CWD were analyzed using chi-square tests. RESULTS: Among families of CWD that had used services previously, 76.6% of survey respondents stated that they had decreased access, with the greatest percentage experiencing loss among those previously utilizing early intervention (75.5%), outpatient therapies (69.1%), or school-based therapies (80.7%). Compared to families without CWD, families of CWD were more likely to report lower pre-COVID-19 annual incomes (p < 0.001), job or income loss related to COVID-19 (p < 0.001), and higher levels of perceived stress (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: CWD experienced loss of services during stay-at-home orders implemented as COVID-19 mitigation measures. Due to decreased access to needed services, CWD may be at risk of medical complications and loss of developmental progress.

Automated summary

This study assessed the impact of stay-at-home orders on access to services utilized by families of children with disabilities. The findings indicate a decrease in service access among these families during the stay-at-home orders, posing a potential risk to the medical and developmental progress of children with disabilities.