Early Intervention

About Early Intervention

The New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) is part of the national Early Intervention Program for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. It was first created by Congress in 1986 under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and is administered by the New York State Department of Health through the Bureau of Early Intervention. In New York State, the Early Intervention Program is established in Article 25 of the Public Health Law. Early help makes a difference, so get your child evaluated as soon as possible. It is your right as a parent and it is free.

To be eligible for services, children must be under 3 years of age and have a diagnosed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by the State, in one or more of the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and/or adaptive.

Eligibility for EIP is determined only by State-approved evaluators under contract with the municipality. The municipality will arrange for service providers, considering the individual needs of the child and family, to deliver services authorized by the municipality. When early intervention services are delivered in childcare settings or community locations that require a fee, parents are responsible for paying any associated costs with such access to child care or community locations.

Early Intervention Services
The Early Intervention Program offers a variety of therapeutic and support services to eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, including:

• family education and counseling, home visits, and parent support groups
• special instruction
• speech pathology and audiology
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• service coordination
• nursing services
• nutrition services
• social work services
• vision services
• assistive technology devices and services
• ABA therapy

Why Is Early Intervention So Important

Research has shown that the time between birth and age 36 months is a critical developmental period in a child’s life. These months offer a window of opportunity that will not be available later. Early intervention programs minimize and in some cases prevent delays in development of infants and toddlers with disabilities. They can decrease the need for special education and related services when a child enters school, and increase independence. Children whose special needs are identified and addressed during these crucial early years have a greater chance of reaching their full potential.

It is imperative that treatment is received at an early age because neuroplasticity is more likely to occur. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change its structure as a result of external factors, such as therapy, in order to acquire new skills. The child’s environment and activities (such as intensive therapy) directly affect learning and can shape the brain to acquire new skills.

All children grow and develop at different rates, but when a child has a condition, parents have additional worries about developmental delays. Early intervention programs are available to identify and treat very young children in an effort to minimize the long-term impact on the child of any developmental delay.

How To Apply For Early Intervention

*This information was obtained from the NYS Department of Health website.

A municipal Early Intervention Official (EIO) designated by the chief elected official of the municipality/county administers the Early Intervention Program locally. Contact your EIO for information about your local program or to refer a child. For information about the statewide program, contact the NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Early Intervention at (518) 473-7016 or e-mail bei@health.state.ny.us. Contact information for the Municipalities by county can be found below.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Gotham Center, CN # 12
42-09 28th Street, 18th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101-4132
Phone Number in NYC Dial 311
If outside NYC: 212-639-9675
Fax: 347-396-6928

Bronx (Bronx County)
1309 Fulton Avenue, 5th Floor
Bronx, NY 10456
Phone: 718-410-4110
Fax: 718-410-4480

Brooklyn (Kings County)
16 Court Street, 2nd & 6th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11241
Phone: 718-722-3310
Fax: 718-722-7767, 718-722-7766

Manhattan (New York County)
42 Broadway, Suite 1027
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-436-0900
Fax: 212-436-0901

Queens (Queens County)
59-17 Junction Blvd. 2nd Floor
Corona, NY 11368
Phone: 718-480-2249

Staten Island (Richmond County)
51 Stuyvesant Place
Staten Island, NY 10301
Phone: 718-420-5350
Fax: 718-420-5360, 718-420-5364

Nassau County Health Department
60 Charles Lindberg Blvd., Suite 100
Uniondale, New York 11553-3683
Main: 516-227-8661
Fax: 516-227-8662

Suffolk County Health Services
50 Laser Court
Hauppauge, New York 11788
Main: 631-853-3100
Fax: 631-853-2300

All Early Intervention Services are at no cost to parents. The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is funded by New York State and county governments. The EIP may use your Health insurance for reimbursement. You do not need to have Health insurance in order to participate in the EIP.

Once your child is referred to the Early Intervention Program or EIP, an initial service coordinator will be assigned to meet with you and your family. The initial service coordinator will provide assistance throughout all of the steps of the evaluation process, the first IFSP meeting, and development of the Individualized Family Service Plan or IFSP.

The Early Intervention Process

Once you suspect that your child has a delay or disability you must call the Municipality for your County. An Early Intervention Official will assign you an Initial Service Coordinator. Your Service Coordinator will provide you information about EIP and inform you of your rights. They will also review a list of evaluators in your county. The Service Coordinator will obtain some relevant background information as well as insurance and medical information.

You will then contact one of the state approved evaluation agencies (under contract to the municipality) to schedule an evaluation for your child. Your child’s multidisciplinary evaluation may include:

• a health assessment, vision and hearing screenings
• a review of records with your permission
• an interview with you about your concerns and what your child is like
• assessment of strengths and needs in the various areas of development

The 5 areas of development are:

• physical
• cognitive
• communication
• social-emotional
• adaptive

The evaluation will determine eligibility and gather information for the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). A summary and report is submitted before the IFSP meeting.  The IFSP is a written treatment plan that maps out the EI services your child will receive, as well as how and when these services will be administered. It details your child’s current levels of functioning, specific needs and goals for treatment (referred to as outcomes). The IFSP takes a family-based approach to services, due to the central concept that supporting a child’s family lends itself to supporting the child. This means that the IFSP is developed with input from the child’s entire family, and it includes features that are designed to support the entire family.

If your child is found to be eligible for services, an IFSP meeting will be held. All needed early intervention services are identified in collaboration with the parent and must be authorized by the municipality.  At the meeting you will express your desired outcomes and hear the results of the evaluation. A written plan is developed with your Service Coordinator and you will agree to an IFSP. An ongoing service coordinator is also identified at this time.

The following services can be given through the EIP:

• assistive technology devices and services
• audiology
• family training, counseling, home visits and parent support groups
• medical services only for diagnostic or evaluation purposes
• nursing services
• nutrition services
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• service coordination
• social work services
• special instruction
• speech-language pathology
• vision services
• health services
• transportation and related costs

The municipality will arrange for service providers, considering the individual needs of the child and family, to deliver services authorized by the municipality. All services provided under the EIP are provided at no out-of-pocket cost to parents, but that health insurance may be accessed for reimbursement for early intervention services provided to eligible children and their families.

Your IFSP will be reviewed in six months and a reevaluation will be done annually. During these times a decision will be made to continue, add, modify or delete services, strategies and/or outcomes.

As your child approaches 3 years of age, you will enter the transition period. If you feel that your child will benefit from continued services, you will be referred to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE). Your Service Coordinator will aid in the process.

Parents Rights in Early Intervention

This information has been taken from the New York State Department of Health Website:

Your Rights as a Parent in the Early Intervention Program

Parents have rights under the Early Intervention Program that you should know. Your Early Intervention Official is responsible for making sure you know about your rights. These rights include:

• The right to say yes or no to having your child evaluated or screened and taking part in a family assessment.
• The right to say yes or no to participating in the Early Intervention Program without risking the right to take part in the future.
• The right to say yes or no to any certain type of early intervention service without risking your right to other types of early intervention services.
• The right to keep information about your family private.
• The right to look at and change your child’s written record under the Early Intervention Program.
• The right to be told by your Early Intervention Official about any possible changes in your child’s evaluation or other early intervention services before any changes are made.
• The right to take part – and ask others to take part – in all meetings where decisions will be made about changes in your child’s evaluation or services.
• The right to use due process procedures to settle complaints.
• The right to an explanation of how your insurance may be used to pay for early intervention services.

Part of your service coordinator’s job is to explain these rights to you and make sure you understand them and help you carry them out.

Your child’s records

Your child’s record includes all written materials developed or used for the Early Intervention Program. Your child’s record may include:

• Information gathered as part of your child’s referral to the Early Intervention Official.
• Screening and evaluation reports and summaries.
• Your family assessment (if you took part in one).
• Your Individualized Family Service Plan and all documents related to the plan.
• Progress notes and other information about your child’s and family’s services prepared by early intervention service providers (including your service coordinator)
• Any records about complaints you may have filed.
• All other records involving your child and family.

All information in your child’s record must be kept confidential by the Early Intervention Official and early intervention evaluators, service providers, and service coordinators. You must give your written permission to allow information in your child’s record to be released. There are two types of “releases” that you can sign:

• A selective release – this type of release requires you to identify the persons who can access the information in your child’s record and from whom they can get the information.
• A general release – this type of release will allow information to be shared with individuals and agencies that will be providing services to your child and family.

No matter what type of release you sign, you can change your decision about who can access your child’s record at any time.”