New York State Education Department currently funds 14 regional Early Childhood Direction Centers (ECDC) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) discretionary fund.
The first ECDCs were established in 1979. Their main purpose was to assist families and professionals in securing services that meet the needs of children with disabilities, birth through age five, by providing information about available service options and service delivery systems and to assist the local educational agencies to meet their child find responsibilities by referring children to appropriate services within their regions.
ECDCs provide information about programs and services for young children with disabilities aged birth through five, and help families obtain services for their children.