FAQs

Early Intervention services can be provided anywhere in the community where your child typically spends their day, including: • Your home; • Child care center or family day care home that your child attends; • Community/recreational centers, play groups, playgrounds, libraries, or any place parents and young children go for fun and support; and • Early childhood programs and centers, such as early head start program, daycare settings, and similar services serving children ages 0 - 3 years old. Source: NYC Early Intervention

Every county in NYS has an Early Intervention Official (EIO) who serves as the "single point of entry" for the EIP. All children referred to the EIO are evaluated by two or more professionals to determine if a child meets the eligibility requirements. This is called a "multidisciplinary evaluation." See NYSDOH's booklet The Early Intervention Program: A Parent's Guide for more information. Source: New York State - Early Intervention - Parent's Questions and Answers

Services Delivered During Daily Routines All of the information that you share with your child’s team will be used during visits. It will help you and your child's therapists choose the skills you want to work on with your child. You and the therapists will figure out what you can do during mealtimes, bath times and other daily activities to help your child learn and develop. Your therapist will then work with you, your child and your family at home, at your child care center, or with your babysitter to help you learn how to help your child. This way, your child will work on new skills many times each day. Children learn best when they practice with the most important and familiar people in their lives during their everyday routines. Your feedback and ideas about how well the strategies work between visits is important. This way your child can reach their milestones and succeed during their daily activities through a family-centered approach called “Embedded Coaching”. Watch NYC Early Intervention: Family-Centered Best Practices NYC Early Intervention: Family Handout (PDF) Other Languages: Español NYC Early Intervention: Family Activity Sheet (PDF) Source: NYC Early Intervention

Once your child has been referred, the program will assign your family a service coordinator to explain Early Intervention services and begin an evaluation. The service coordinator will help your family select an evaluation agency and will continue providing assistance while your child is in the program. Our evaluation will tell you if your child is behind in developing skills compared to other children their age. These skills include taking a first step, smiling and waving. If your child has delays such as these, they may be eligible for Early Intervention. Source: NYC Early InterventionWho Is Eligible For Early Intervention Services? Once your child has been referred, the program will assign your family a service coordinator to explain Early Intervention services and begin an evaluation. The service coordinator will help your family select an evaluation agency and will continue providing assistance while your child is in the program. Our evaluation will tell you if your child is behind in developing skills compared to other children their age. These skills include taking a first step, smiling and waving. If your child has delays such as these, they may be eligible for Early Intervention. Source: NYC Early Intervention

The goal of the Early Intervention Program is to help families help their children learn and develop. If your child is eligible for the program, we will assign a team to your child that will include teachers, therapists, a service coordinator and an Early Intervention Official Designee. Together, your team will develop a plan and identify services based on your concerns, priorities and resources. They will work with you to meet your child's and your family's goals. You know your child best, so you will be an important part of your child’s progress. The more parents participate in services, the better the child’s outcome. You should tell the team about: Your child's interests and what they like and dislike Strategies you think have helped your child learn Everyday activities that you and your child find difficult, such as bathing and eating at recommended meal times The most important improvements that you would like to see for your child Learn how you can refer your child to the Early Intervention Program. Watch: Early Help Matters: How Family Insurance Information Is Used [Español] Source: NYC Early Intervention

There are two types of service coordinators. An Initial Service Coordinator (ISC) is assigned by your EIO to help guide you through the first steps of EIP enrollment. These include referral and through the development of an IFSP. The ISC will explain each step to you and help set up the necessary evaluations to see if your child is eligible. The Ongoing Service Coordinator (OSC) makes sure that you and your child receive the services that are listed in your IFSP. The OSC also helps you make changes to your IFSP when needed and makes sure your IFSP is reviewed on a regular basis. You will be asked to choose your OSC at your initial IFSP meeting.