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

Abstract

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.