Moving Project ImPACT into Practice – September 2026
ImPACT Update
Issue: September 2026
This Issue’s Focus: Moving Project ImPACT Into Practice
Although evidence-based interventions have demonstrated positive outcomes for young children with social communication challenges, families often experience barriers to accessing these approaches in community service systems. Expanding provider capacity to deliver effective caregiver coaching is an important step toward increasing access to high-quality early intervention.
A recent study examined Project ImPACT when delivered by community early intervention providers across California. The findings suggest that community providers can successfully learn and implement evidence-based caregiver coaching practices, resulting in more responsive and developmentally supportive parent-child interactions.
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Research Spotlight:
Explore a new study examining family outcomes from a community-based trial of Project ImPACT delivered by early intervention providers. -
Practice Notes:
Learn practical strategies for strengthening caregiver coaching, supporting parent engagement, and helping families incorporate intervention strategies into everyday routines. -
Announcements:
Stay up to date on upcoming Project ImPACT trainings, webinars, and resources for providers and families.
Research Spotlight
Research Spotlight
Family Outcomes of a Community-Based Trial of Project ImPACT
Authors: Sarah R. Rieth, Marissa Chemotti, Carmen Orendain Soto, Sarah F. Vejnoska, Scott Roesch, Amber Fitzgerald, Sarah Dufek, and Aubyn C. Stahmer.
Journal: Behavioral Sciences, 16(1), 64. (2026)
This study evaluated Project ImPACT when implemented by community early intervention (EI) providers in real-world public Part C systems across California. The trial assessed whether training community providers in evidence-based caregiver coaching would enhance provider coaching quality, strengthen parent-child interaction, and promote child communication outcomes.
Study Snapshot
What was studied?
Researchers evaluated Project ImPACT when delivered by community early intervention providers serving toddlers with social communication challenges and their families across California.
Who participated?
The study included 47 providers and 125 caregiver-child dyads (children aged 12 to 36 months) receiving services in real-world early intervention programs.
What did they do?
Researchers compared outcomes for families receiving Project ImPACT to those receiving services as usual (SAU) in community early intervention programs across approximately four months of intervention.
What was measured?
- Provider Coaching Quality: Objective behavioral coding of evidence-based coaching strategies during family sessions using the PEACE framework.
- Parent-Child Interaction: Observational measures of responsive and developmentally supportive caregiver behaviors during natural play interactions.
- Caregiver Outcomes: Caregiver Project ImPACT strategy use (intervention fidelity), parenting self-efficacy, and caregiver-reported parenting stress.
- Child Social Communication: Standardized developmental assessments and caregiver reports tracking spontaneous social communication progress over time.
Key Findings
Providers significantly enhanced coaching quality:
Frontline early interventionists trained in Project ImPACT demonstrated marked improvements in evidence-based coaching practices during family visits. Providers identified child-led strategies and animation as most valuable to share, while noting that techniques like playful obstruction required more practice to coach with confidence.
Parents adopted responsive teaching behaviors:
Caregivers receiving Project ImPACT showed significant increases in responsive and interactive teaching behaviors during natural play compared to services-as-usual. While broad relational shifts emerged quickly, technical strategy checklist scores and parenting stress did not differ between conditions over this four-month period.
Children advanced in communication across conditions:
Toddlers in both Project ImPACT and usual care made meaningful communication gains over the course of services. Differences between groups were not yet detectable at the four-month exit, indicating that measurable developmental divergence resulting from caregiver-mediated coaching likely requires a longer follow-up window.
High real-world acceptability in public Part C systems:
Community providers rated training satisfaction, implementation feasibility, and perceived family impact above 4.5 out of 5, with 100% recommending Project ImPACT to peers—confirming that parent-mediated NDBI coaching is scalable within diverse public service networks.
Why It Matters
Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap:
Historically, evidence-based parent-mediated NDBIs have shown promise in university laboratories but struggled in publicly funded community systems. This trial confirms that frontline community providers can adopt high-fidelity coaching, bringing evidence directly to where families receive care.
Caregiver Empowerment Drives Lasting Change:
Enhancing caregiver responsive teaching turns everyday routines—mealtimes, bath time, and floor play—into continuous developmental opportunities, multiplying intervention intensity naturally.
Informing Systemic Policy & Training Investments:
Sustainable community implementation requires more than manual distribution; it necessitates systemic investments in provider coaching, collaborative reflection, and organizational support.
Practice Notes
Building Caregiver Coaching Capacity
Implementing evidence-based interventions in community settings requires investment in provider training and support. This study offers several lessons for building caregiver coaching capacity in Project ImPACT in real-world service systems:
- 🔄 Move beyond one-time trainings – Provider behavior change is more likely when training includes ongoing coaching and feedback.
- 🎯 Create opportunities to practice new skills – Coaching strategies are best learned through active use with families rather than passive instruction alone.
- 🤝 Support providers as they build confidence – Implementation takes time, and ongoing support can help providers integrate new practices into routine service delivery.
- 🌱 Consider sustainability from the start – When adopting an evidence-based practice like Project ImPACT, plan for training, coaching, and follow-up support to promote long-term implementation success.
Clinician Q&A: How can community programs best support providers during initial Project ImPACT rollout?
A: Successful rollout centers on structured, low-stakes practice. Schedule regular peer coaching circles where clinicians review short recorded session clips and problem-solve real family challenges together. Use the Project ImPACT Intervention Fidelity Checklist collaboratively as a self-reflection and coaching guide rather than an evaluation tool. Providing dedicated time for coaches to plan sessions and celebrate early caregiver wins establishes confidence and prevents provider burnout.
Fidelity Check: Coaching with Active Caregiver Practice
Research demonstrates that coaching is most transformative when parents actively practice techniques during visits. Ensure every coaching session protects at least 20–30% of session time for the caregiver to practice strategies directly with their child in natural activities, followed immediately by collaborative reflection, positive feedback, and gentle adjustment.
Announcements
Upcoming: Project ImPACT Virtual Advanced Course
The next Project ImPACT Advanced Course is October 12-15, 2026. This course is designed for providers who work with young children with social communication delays.