Early Intervention Process: What should I Expect? - By: ROBERTA KALMAR LMSW

Early Intervention Process: What should I Expect?

The process of receiving an Early Intervention (EI) Evaluation for children birth to three years old consist of four steps. The four steps are: 1. referral, 2. meeting your initial service coordinator (ISC), 3. initial evaluation and 4. Indiviualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) if your child is eligible.
The entire evaluation process takes 30 days from receipt of the initial referral until the evaluation must be completed. The IFSP meeting, when applicable, must occur within 15 days after the evaluation. Therefore the entire evaluation process takes a total of 45 days.

In order to refer your child for an evaluation you must contact an Early Intervention provider such as A Multilingual Development Agency, in Nassau County. Other county residents can contact their county’s Early Intervention Program referral line. At that time, a referral intake will be taken of the child’s background information.

After the intake is complete, your child is assigned a personal Initial Service Coordinator (ISC). Your ISC will contact you within 7-10 days to schedule an initial home visit at your convenience. At that time, the ISC will help you resolve any Early Intervention questions or concerns you will have. At the end of the meeting, A Multilingual Development Agency will be authorized to conduct your child’s evaluation.

Next, an evaluator from A Multilingual Development Agency will contact you to schedule a day/time to conduct the evaluation, in your home, according to the optimal time for you and your child. Depending on your child’s needs, there may be two or more evaluations conducted, within the 30 days.

If your child is found eligible to receive Early Intervention services, an Indiviualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting will be held with the family, Initial Service Coordinator (ISC), and evaluator representative, in your home. At that time, services will be authorized for the next 6 months and developmental goals for your particular child will be drawn. The ISC will determine the frequency and duration of services. IFSP meetings are held every 6 months to monitor your child’s progress and growth.

Written by: Lilya Popovetsky, MA SpEd, CAS, SDA

* Note: The information and advice provided is intended to be general information, NOT as advice on how to deal with a particular child's situation and or problem. If your child has a specific problem you need to ask your pediatrician about it -- only after a careful history and physical exam can a medical diagnosis and/or treatment plan be made.
This website does not constitute a physician patient relationship

The process of receiving an Early Intervention (EI) Evaluation for children birth to three years old consist of four steps. The four steps are: 1. referral, 2. meeting your initial service coordinator (ISC), 3. initial evaluation and 4. Indiviualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) if your child is eligible.

Lilya Popovetsky, MA SpEd, CAS, SDA is the founder of A Multilingual Development Agency, an Early Intervention agency for children from birth to three years old in Nassau County, NY. She obtained a Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College in Early Childhood Special Education, with a dual certification in General Education. Lilya went on to complete an educational administration degree from Hofstra University.

If you are a Nassau County resident and would like to receive a free developmental evaluation for your child age birth to three years old, please call A Multilingual Developmental Agency at
(516) 730 – 5001.