The Florida Embedded Practices and Intervention with Caregivers (FL-EPIC) Initial Efficacy Trial (R324A210081) is a project funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to the University of Florida and Florida State University. For this project, the term efficacy trial refers to a study that compares FL-EPIC home visiting practices to typical home visiting practices. This project will gather additional information about how FL-EPIC, which is being used across the state through ongoing professional development, impacts caregiver and child outcomes within Florida’s Early Steps Program when compared to typical practices. The results of this study will be relevant for FL as part of ongoing FL-EPIC activities. We will share findings in Florida and with Part C programs nationwide. 

FL-EPIC staff will partner with local Early Steps Programs to identify 108 providers (ITDS, SLPs, OTs, PTs) and 540 caregivers and children in Florida who will participate in the FL-EPIC Initial Efficacy Trial.  Within each participating site, some providers will start to learn to implement FL-EPIC right away, and others will implement typical early intervention services for 9 months until they begin to learn to implement FL-EPIC. Providers will be randomly placed in each group. All providers who participate in the study will eventually learn to use FL-EPIC. This study will examine differences in child and family outcomes between typical early practices and the FL-EPIC practices as local Early Steps programs make this shift in practice.