Early Intervention Final

Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)

The federal law that makes free appropriate public education available to eligible children with disabilities in the US; includes special education and related services (OT, ST, PT, etc.)

What does the IDEA do?

Governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services

Who receives early intervention services under IDEA Part C?

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2 (up to age 3)

What happens once a child reaches the age of 3?

They can continue to receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B until the age of 21

What does the IFSP Team do?

Their services are designed to meet the developmental needs of an infant or toddler with a disability, and the needs of the family to assist appropriately in the infant’s or toddler’s development

What are the five domains of early intervention services?

• Physical development

• Cognitive development

• Communication development

• Social-emotional development

• Adaptive development

*Evaluate all even if concerns with one

What are the nine features of EI as per IDEA?

1. Services are provided under public supervision

2. Services are selected in collaboration with parents

3. Services are provided at no cost, except for federal or state law allows payment by families

4. Services must meet the developmental needs of an infant or toddler with a disability and the needs of the family to assist the child’s development as identified by the Individualized Family Service Plan Team

5. Services must meet the standards of the state in which they are provided

6. Service options must include those services that are identified in the law

7. Services must be provided by qualified personnel (do not need ASHA certification)

8. To the maximum extent, appropriate services must be provided in natural environments where a naturally developing child would be

9. Services are provided in conformity with the family’s IFSP

What services are available to infants and toddlers through the EIP and can be covered?

• Assisted technology device

• Audiology services

• Family training, counseling, and home visits

• Nursing

• Nutrition

• Occupational therapy

• Physical therapy

• Psychological services

• Special instruction

• Speech-language pathology

• Social work

• Vision services

• Sign language and cued language services

• Transportation (as this cannot be a barrier for a child to receive services)

• Service coordination (oversee us and coordinate)

Who are “qualified personnel”?

Those who are approved to deliver services to the extent authorized by their licensure, certification, or registration to eligible children and have appropriate licensure, certification, or registration in the area in which they are providing services

Who are NYS EIP qualified personnel?

• Audiologists

• Family therapists

• Nurses

• Occupational therapists

• Orientation and mobility specialists

• Pediatricians and other physicians for diagnostic and evaluation purposes

• Physical therapists

• Psychologists

• Register dietitians

• Social workers

• Special educators

• Speech-language pathologists

• Vision specialists, including ophthalmologists and optometrists

What are the rules and responsibilities of SLPs in EI?

• Prevention (educating, screening)

• Screening, Evaluation (snapshot, every year), and Assessment (on going)

• Planning, Implementing, and Monitoring Intervention

• Consultation with an education for team members, including families and professionals

• Service coordination

• Transition planning

• Advocacy (we want to teach parents how to advocate for their own child)

• Awareness and advancement of the knowledge base for early intervention (EBP)

What are the guiding principles of EI?

• Services are family-centered and culturally and linguistically responsive

• Services are developmentally, supportive, and promote children’s participation in their natural environments

• Services are comprehensive, coordinated, and team-based

• Services are based on the highest quality evidence that is available

Transdisciplinary Team

• SLPs must be concerned with the child’s overall development, not just speech, language, and/or feeding

• SLPs must be knowledgeable of and develop an expressed interest in cognition, motor, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive development

• SLPs must be sensitive to how the child’s delays and or medical issues will or may impact the child development, as well as how the delays will impact the family

• One of the most important jobs of the SLP is to listen and observe

• Listen to the parent’s concerns

• Observe the child’s behavior, not just their communication, but their overall behavior

• Observe the parent’s interaction with their child

• Observe the child’s interaction with siblings when applicable

• Must be aware of the child’s prenatal, neonatal, and early developmental history

• Must learn about the child’s medical history, as deviations in a child’s health history could certainly contribute to deviations in development

• Must be sensitive to the child’s nutrition, and perhaps how deviations or problems with nutrition may negatively impact a child’s development

• Must be aware of each provider’s and caregiver’s role (parents, grandparents, MD, PT, OT, Psych, SI, SW, etc.)

What is the first step of the IFSP process?

Referral —> anybody can make a referral (legal guardian, pediatrician, teacher)

What is the second step of the IFSP process?

Initial Service Coordination

• After the referral is made, Families are assigned an initial service coordinator

• This is one of the first people families will meet in the process

• ISC sees through till IFSP meeting

• Can attend evaluation

• Medicaid covers EI

• If qualify, no cost

• IFSP happens only if child qualifies

• EIOD = Early Intervention Official Designate

What is the third step of the IFSP process?

The Multidisciplinary Evaluation (MDE)

• Evaluation done by multiple disciplines

• Results determine child’s eligibility for the EIP (Health assessment, review evaluations if given consent, assessment of strengths and needs in all 5 domains, what is day-to-day life like, and transportation)