Early Intervention Services are provided through IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). These services are provided for a variety of developmental disabilities including:
- Physical Development
- Cognitive Development
- Communication
- Social/Emotional Development
- Adaptive Development
Evaluation and Assessments are available to all children, at no cost to the parents. These procedures are funded by state and federal grants.
The Evaluation Process
The first step in determining eligibility for Early Intervention services is to contact the agency in your area. Each state has a agency responsible for overseeing early intervention.
Parents will be assigned a coordinator and scheduled for an evaluation and assessment. This will be to help determine your child's strengths, delays and difficulties as well as making a determination of eligibility. Some states include children at risk for developmental delays as well as those experiencing delays.
Some of the areas the evaluation wil cover are:
- Speech and language skills
- Physical Abilities
- Hearing
- Vision
The evaluation will be conducted by child professionals and may include different methods of gathering information:
- Observing your child at play
- Talking with your child
- Asking your child to do certain things
- Talking with parents and other caregivers
- Doctor Reports
- Results of developmental tests
Assessment
Once the evaluation is complete and child development professionals have had an opportunity to review the findings, you will be able to meet with the team to discuss the outcome. If your child is found to be eligible for services, an assessment will be performed.
During the assessment, team members will discuss the strengths as well as the needs of your child and determine what services may be of benefit for you and your family.
Individualized Family Service Plan
An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) will be developed. This is a written document providing an outline of services you, your child and your family will receive and is reviewed every six months and updated once a year.
Some of the information included in the IFSP is:
- The name of the agency completing the evaluation and assessment as well as the name of the coordinator assigned to you
- Results of the evaluation with the present developmental needs
- Information about the family
- Goals and expected outcomes of services
- What services are to be provided and where they are to be provided
- Who will pay for services
- Steps to transition from early intervention to another program
- Additional information to benefit your family including local resources, financial information, medical information on raising a child with special needs.
Services Provided by Early Intervention
Although the services provided by the Early Intervention Services will be dependant on the specific needs of your child, some examples of what might be included are:
- Family and parent training or counseling
- Speech and language therapy
- Hearing aids or hearing impairment services
- Occupational or physical therapy
- Assistive technology devices
- Transportation
- Nutritional services or training
- Health or medical services
The cost of services may vary from state to state. Some may provide services on a sliding scale, based on income, while other services may be paid for by your medical insurance. According to federal law, however, services cannot be denied because the family is unable to afford them.
See Also:
Advantages of Early Intervention
Sources:
Finding Help for Young Children with Disabilities, 1994,NICHCY
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