Early Intervention Services 101

toddler boy and toddler girl in bright clothes reaching for a toy

Getting Started with Early Intervention

Early On Michigan provides free evaluations and coordinates services for young children (birth to age 3) to assist them in developmental areas, such as:

  • physical (reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking)
  • cognitive (thinking, learning, solving problems)
  • communication (talking, listening, understanding, gesturing)
  • social-emotional (feeling secure, able to calm, playing with others)
  • self-help (eating, dressing)

If you are concerned about your child’s development: Don’t worry, but don’t wait. Contact Early On for a free evaluation. 

What happens after a referral is made?

Within ten calendar days of receipt of the referral, Early On must inform the family, in writing, that the referral has been received. They must also provide the family with information on their rights . As part of the referral process, your family will be assigned a service coordinator who will set up an appointment for an evaluation.

The service coordinator will be your main point of contact with Early On. Your service coordinator can answers questions and guide you during the process, which starts with an intake meeting.

Intake Meeting

Intake meetings can be in person or over the phone. It gives you a chance to discuss the reason for the referral, while the service coordinator gathers demographic and medical information, with parental consent. They may conduct a brief developmental screening, if needed. Screenings can help identify whether further evaluations may be necessary, such as hearing or vision.

The service coordinator will explain the family’s rights, answers questions, and determine if the family wishes to proceed with evaluations. Evaluations cannot happen without written consent. If you agree, the service coordinator will help arrange the details of the evaluation.

Infants and toddlers with an Established Condition are automatically eligible for Early On services. Infants/toddlers with a suspected delay or disability that’s not listed as an Established Condition should receive a comprehensive evaluation. 

Evaluation

Evaluations and assessments are provided at no cost to families, and do not require a prescription or medical insurance. Family input and concerns should guide the evaluation, and the team should complete the evaluation at the place where the child spends most of the day.

During the evaluation, the Early On team will look at how your child grows and learns. Each evaluation will be unique, because each family and child are unique. The team may observe the child, ask the child to do things, play with the child, or use other methods to gather data. The team may ask the family if what they’re seeing is typical, questions about the child’s medical history, or if a medical professional has ever brought up any concerns about the child’s development. ​

In Early On, a developmental delay is defined as any delay for infants up to two months of age (adjusted for prematurity) or a 20% or greater delay in one or more areas of development for infants and toddlers between 2- 36 months of age.

Depending on their needs, children from birth to age 3 may be eligible for services under only Part C or under both Part C and the Michigan Mandatory Special Education mandate.

ELIGiBILITY

When an infant or toddler is found eligible for Early On and consent is given, you and your service coordinator will meet to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Other professionals may also be on the IFSP team. The members of the team will vary depending on the family and child’s specific needs. For example, the team might include a social worker, occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), or a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Family members are important members of an IFSP team because they understand their child’s needs best.

The IFSP meeting must be scheduled and held within 45 calendar days from the date of the Early On referral. The new services outlined in the IFSP must be provided as soon as possible and within 30 calendar days of the signed IFSP.

Your Family’s Rights

As the parent of a child who is or may be eligible for Early On, you have rights. Procedural safeguards are the checks and balances that are built into the system. Procedural safeguards are part of the federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Part C of IDEA covers services for children under 3 years old. Their purpose is to guard your rights and ensure that the process happens as it is supposed to for you and your child.

 

Let’s Look Closer at the IFSP

After a young child (birth to 3) is found eligible for early intervention services, a team (including the parents, professionals and your service coordinator) meets to develop the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). This written plan explains why your child needs services, what kind of services will be provided, who will provide them and how often, and where the services will be provided. The IFSP will set goals/outcomes.

Let’s Look Closer at Natural Environments

Natural environments means “settings that are natural or typical for a same-aged infant or toddler without a disability”. Natural learning environments include family routines and community activities where providers and caregivers work together to build intervention into everyday life. The intervention is specific to the individual family. So that might be in home, at daycare, or in the community.

Let’s Look Closer at Your Family’s Rights

As the parent of a child who is or may be eligible for Early On, you have rights. They support a positive and high-quality experience with Early On. Procedural safeguards are the checks and balances that are built into the system to help make sure everything goes well for your child and family and protect your family’s rights. Procedural safeguards are part of the federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Part C of IDEA covers services for children under 3 years old. Their purpose is to guard your rights and ensure that the process happens as it is supposed to for you and your child.

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