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*Frequently
Asked Questions About Early Intervention Services
(Infants and Toddlers Birth to 3 Years Old)
What should I do if I think my child has special needs?
What do I say when I talk to my local contact person?
What is a screening or evaluation?
Who performs the evaluation?
Who pays for the evaluation?
What are the eligibility requirements for early intervention
services in Washington State?
What are early intervention services?
Will I have to pay for any services if my child is found eligible?
What is an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)?
How should I prepare for the IFSP meeting?
Are there any parent groups in my area that can give me more
information about early intervention services?
What if I am not satisfied with my child's evaluation, services,
or progress?
What happens when my child turns 3?
*Don't see your question here? Contact us.
What should I do if I think my child has special needs?
If you or a referring professional suspect that your child may have
developmental delays or know that they have substantial ongoing developmental needs, a Family Resource Coordinator (FRC) can help you
find resources for your child. Family Resources Coordinators assist and
enable the family of an eligible child to enroll for services under either the
state funded County Child Development Programs or Part C of IDEA Early
Intervention Program.
If you have any concerns regarding your child's development or would like to connect with a Family Resource Coordinator, please contact:
Community
Health Access Program (CHAP)
Washington Health Foundation
300 Elliot Avenue West, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98119-4118
Phone: (206) 285-6355
Fas: (206) 283-6122
E-mail: healthieststate@whf.org
Web:
http://www.whf.org/Programs/chap.aspx
What do I say when I talk to my local contact person?
Explain that you think your child may need early intervention services and you would like to arrange for a screening or evaluation. Write down any information you are given.
What is a screening or evaluation?
A screening is a basic interview which can help determine if a further evaluation is necessary to determine eligibility for early intervention services. It is necessary that your child have an evaluation in several developmental areas in order to determine eligibility for child development/early intervention services. The evaluation will occur only with your written permission and at no cost to you. The evaluation is done with you, your child and early intervention professionals. Evaluation looks at several areas of your child's development, including cognitive, physical, communication, social, and adaptive skills.
This information will come from various sources, including:
-
doctor's reports/medical history
-
results of any developmental tests your child may have had
-
observations and information from family, professionals and significant others in the child's life
Usually, a team of professionals, which may include a psychologist, a social worker specializing in early intervention, and an occupational or physical therapist.
Under P.L.102-119, evaluations are provided at no cost to families.
What are the eligibility requirements for early intervention services in Washington State?
To be eligible, a child must have a 25% delay or show a 1.5 standard deviation below his or her age in one or more of the developmental areas (see "What is an evaluation?" above). A child may also be eligible if he or she has a condition or diagnosis that is known to cause a delay in development. The eligibility definition to receive state funded service in Washington State is slightly different, essentially requiring that your child have a delay of 25% or 1.5 standard deviation in two or more developmental areas between the ages of 2 and 3 years.
What are early intervention services?
These are services for infants and toddlers that are designed to identify and
treat a problem or delay as early as possible. The King
County Developmental Disabilities Division manages the program locally, and
contracts with 16 different nonprofit child development provider agencies to
ensure the availability of a system of Early Intervention services to local
families.
While not every agency offers every individual type of service, King County's Early Intervention service system is required to offer the array of developmental services needed by eligible children. These services may include:
-
assistive technology services and devices
-
family training, counseling and home visits
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health services as they relate to the eligible child's developmental delay (nutrition, nursing, diagnostic evaluation, hearing, vision, etc.)
-
therapies (occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, etc.)
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psychological services (counseling, behavioral intervention support, etc.)
-
social work services (resource coordination, outreach, advocacy, etc.)
-
transportation
Will I have to pay for any services if my child is found eligible?
Depending on the individual child and situation, early intervention services are
paid for through a blending of funds from various sources, which can include:
-
Family's insurance
-
School districts
-
King County Developmental Disabilities Division
-
IDEA Part C (Federal)
Other than utilizing insurance
programs which may be available to cover payment for some services, Washington
State does not require parents to pay out of pocket for services. As part
of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process, efforts will be made
to explore all possible funding options to ensure the appropriate level of
services for the eligible child.
What is an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)?
The Individual Family Service plan or "IFSP" is a written plan that guides the family, their support system in putting together a program of supports and services. The IFSP team assists the family in identifying the circumstances and setting in which they would like assistance, including facilitating, enhancing, and ensuring participation for their child in his or her natural environment. The plan should reflect what services are necessary to meet the needs of the family reflected in this plan. Families can withhold permission to provide any specific service identified on the IFSP if it is not what the family wants.
The IFSP team generally consists of family members, professionals such as medical people, therapists, child developmental specialists, social workers, and others who are involved in the child's life.
The IFSP must:
-
Be developed jointly by the family and others involved in providing early intervention services;
-
Be based on a comprehensive evaluation of the child;
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Include the concerns, priorities, and resources identified by the family as important in providing services to the child;
-
State the desired outcomes of services;
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Include services necessary to nurture the development of the child and the ability of the family to meet the special needs of their child;
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Identify the natural environments (where families live and participate in typical and traditional family activities, including home and community locations) in which early intervention will occur, or justification as to why outcomes cannot be achieved in a natural environment;
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Project dates for initiation, and anticipated duration of services;
-
Three months prior to the child's birthday, create a transition plan for when the child turns 3 and is no longer available to receive early intervention services.
The guiding principle of the IFSP is
that the family is the child's greatest resource, and that a child's needs are
closely tied to the needs of their family. The best way to support
children and meet their needs is to support and build upon the strengths of
their family. The
IFSP should be considered a "living" document, and changes as the
child their family's lives and needs change. It is also important to
remember that the IFSP team as a whole works towards development of the
plan. Sometimes families may want something that the team as a whole does
not think is necessary to achieve an outcome. Families may want to discuss
with team members alternative ways to achieve a given goal. No service or
component of an IFSP will be provided if it is not what the family wants. How
should I prepare for the IFSP meeting? It
is helpful to think about several things in preparation for the IFSP
meeting. Some suggestions include:
Think about things your
family enjoys doing together, such as hobbies, or where family outings
happen. What would you like to be doing? What does a typical day or week
look like in your family? What happens at home around
normal routines, such as bath time, meal time, play time, activities with
siblings, bed times, etc.? Are these activities currently working well
or not so well? What are some things you would
like for the future? Are you thinking about a family vacation?
Parenting group? Date night? Who are the people in the
family/child's life? Who provides child care? What about
grandparents or other extended family? Would they have important
information about your child, or do they play an important role in the life
of your child and be a part of the IFSP team? Ask them if they would
come with you to the IFSP meeting. What things are happening in
your lives that are helping meet the outcomes that you want? Hiking
trips, trips to the park, play groups, sibling interactions, etc. all offer
tremendous opportunities for practicing gross and fine motor skills, etc. Are there activities in your
community or family that could be used to help meet some of the needs of
your child and family? Could swimming lessons, library reading
programs, co-ops, play groups, Sunday school, etc. help work towards
achieving outcomes? How can the agency/Family
Resource Coordinator help to make these things happen? This might mean
asking the agency to help you make a connection to a community activity, to
support you in fully participating in a community play group, help connect
you to parent support groups, or find information about your child's delays. In thinking about these and other
questions and thoughts for your IFSP, you may want to actually write them down,
and bring what you write to refer to during the IFSP meeting. Support groups (such as Parent-to-Parent) for families of children with
disabilities
Parent training and information programs
Groups concerned with a specific
disability
Parent groups can offer information, peer support, and/or training to families of
children with disabilities to help parents take a more active role in helping
their children. Through such groups, families meet other families with similar
needs to discuss resources, day-to-day problems, and personal insights.
The Family Resource Coordinator can help connect families to these parent
groups, and to learn about events or trainings which families would help with
both gathering information and connecting with one another. What if I am not
satisfied with my child's evaluation, services or progress? If you are unhappy with the
evaluation your child receives or the Individual Family Service Plan that is
developed to identify the needs, resources, and services to help your child,
your Family Resource Coordinator can help advise you on how to resolve the
conflict. You may access an advocacy organization (The
Arc, Washington PAVE, Washington
Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS), etc.) for information and assistance
on how to work towards a positive solution. If your Family Resource
Coordinator is unable to help with your request, the Community Health Access
Program (CHAP) can also be of assistance. You may also contact the King
County Developmental Disabilities Division at (206) 296-2912 and ask to speak
with Jan Wrathall, Coordinator of the Early Intervention/Child Development
Program for King County. Your FRC and/or advocacy
organizations will be able to provide information about reasonable expectations
about processes and services, and individual rights your family and your child
have. If
less formal processes can't resolve the issue, you may choose to use mediation
to help resolve disputes around the provision of early intervention
services. Mediation will be provided at no cost to you, and is
voluntary. In addition, you are entitled to a due process hearing. Your Family Resource Coordinator or advocacy
organization can help provide you with information to make choices on how best
to proceed to resolve the dispute. What happens when my
child turns 3? At least 6 months before your child
turns three, your Family Resources Coordinator will assist you in planning a
move to the next service provider or agency serving your child. See Education
> About > Preschool > Frequently Asked Questions About Preschool
Transition for more information about preschool transition (age 3 to 5). Questions and answers adapted from A
Parent's Guide to Accessing Programs for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with
Disabilities at the National Center for Children and Youth with
Disabilities (NICHCY) and A
Family's Guide to Early Intervention Services in Washington State
(Washington State Department of Social and Health Services), and from
information provided by the King
County Developmental Disabilities Division. Other Information Resources King County Developmental
Disabilities Divison Washington State Infant Toddler
Early Intervention Program (ITEIP) Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, Part C: Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
(summary)
EDUCATION: About
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Are there any parent groups in my area that can give me more information
about early intervention services?
Yes. There are several types of parent groups, including:
http://www.metrokc.gov/dchs/ddd
http://www.wa.gov/dshs/iteip/iteip.html
http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/idea-c.htm
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This page last updated: Sunday, November 25, 2007