Frequently Asked Questions
The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a public program funded by New York State and county governments for children under the age of three who are either suspected of having or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Potentially eligible children must be referred to the county program to receive EIP services.
Early intervention services in your plan and authorized by the county are provided at no cost to you. The county will arrange for the services to be provided and will choose the provider based on the needs of your child and family. Your child’s health insurance may be used to cover some of the costs. All other costs for EIP services are paid for by your county and New York State.
Check out The Parents Guide
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0532/
Department of Health Q&A
For private referrals contact our office at 718-899-9060 or email info@emiliaskids.com
For children ages birth – 3 years old call 311 in NYC for the Early Intervention Program.
For children ages 3 – 4 contact your local school district to begin the referral process http://schools.nyc.gov/academics/specialeducation/default.htm
Most evaluations can be completed within a few weeks, and then a meeting is scheduled to review the results and determine if your child is eligible to receive services.
Evaluations of your child’s progress which are done in your home or a community setting if 0-5 and in the school system if 5 and above.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is defined as the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behavior.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/applied-behavior-analysis-aba
The decision to have an evaluation is up the parent. The process is completely voluntary. Further, when the evaluations are completed, the decision to have your child receive services is also completely voluntary. If you suspect that your child may need extra stimulation or services that will increase their development in one or more areas, then it is advisable to have an evaluation. Then, you decide if you wish to accept the recommendations of the evaluation team.
Shouldn’t I just wait and see if my child improves? You can wait and see if your child improves or catches up, even if they are somewhat behind in a developmental area. However, our approach is to be proactive. Our philosophy is when in doubt, check it out. An evaluation can tell you if an early childhood professional believes your child needs any extra help in an area of development, or not. Having a professional opinion can ease your mind and answer your questions.
If your child is found to need services, it has been proven that most children improve with the help of intervention. Some children improve very quickly, and some more slowly. If you have concerns that your child is not learning quickly enough then share that as well to determine if other therapies may also be needed.
Parent guides and links to resources
Helpful links as you start your EI journey
https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/
Apply for a NPI number.
http://www.nysmandatedreporter.org/Default.aspx
Free Mandated reporter training.
Spanish-language resources on child abuse and neglect, prevention, child protective services, foster care, permanency, and adoption. Selected publications are available in both Spanish and English. Many can be viewed or ordered directly from this site.
Childmind.org is a comprehensive destination for scientifically sound, parent-friendly information on child and adolescent mental health. On childmind.org you’ll find the latest information on signs and symptoms of psychiatric and learning disorders, as well as interactive tools for parents to investigate specific concerns they have about kids, from difficulty in school to disabling anxiety to disruptive behavior. You’ll also find advice, and strategies for parents dealing with hot-button issues like bullying, body image, self-esteem, substance abuse, social media, sex, and discipline.
Cerebral Palsy Guide provides parents with information on cerebral palsy causes, symptoms and the treatments that are available.
Cerebral Palsy Guidance is a comprehensive informational website of cerebral palsy.From information on cerebral palsy symptoms to financial assistance to daily living articles, CerebralPalsyGuidance.com covers all aspects of cerebral palsy.
For over 35 years Advocates for Children of New York, Inc. (AFC) has worked in partnership with New York City’s most impoverished and vulnerable families to secure quality and equal public education services. AFC works on behalf of children from infancy to age 21 who are at greatest risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure.
The National Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics was established in May 2004 for the purpose of identifying major educational challenges facing Hispanic children throughout the United States from birth through the primary grades and making recommendations for actions.
Kim West is known as the Sleep Lady and has developed a number of resources including a book on how parents can help their children get enough sleep and the importance of sleep in daily functioning.
www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/child
The Early Intervention Program: A Parent’s Guide For Children With Special Needs – Birth to Age Three.
The Professional Resource For Teachers And Parents
We are a group of parents who want to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of parents and children. We’ve created an online community that shares our values and goals in raising, educating and providing for our children.
Early Intervention Training Center, enhancing the quality of supports and services provided to families of infants and toddlers through ongoing support, training and other professional development activities for families receiving early intervention services, early intervention personnel, and other associated early childhood personnel.
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/earlyint/earlydirectory.shtml
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene list of Early Intervention Provider directories, updated March 2007.
New York Association for Early Childhood and Infant Psychologists website. This group has a directory of early childhood psychologists and produces a journal and provides trainings/workshops.
Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. A website of this professional national organization comprised especially of special education teachers working with young children.
A nonmembership organization of those working on behalf of young children through social policy, research, and training.
A national association of early childhood professionals, especially representing teachers of early childhood programs such as head start, early head start, pre-k programs. They boast the largest early childhood conference in the world.
The New York State Association of School Psychologists representing the interests of this professional group.
International Society on Infant Studies – a not-for- profit professional organization devoted to the promotion and dissemination of research on the development of infants.
Society for Research in Child Development – multidisciplinary, not-for- profit professional association with an international membership of researchers, practitioners and human development professionals.
World Association of Infant Mental Health – international interdisciplinary association that promotes education, research and study of social development and mental health of infants, parents and caregivers.
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ehsnrc
Early Head Start National Resource Center
Early Childhood Resource Center – promotes optimal development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers through training and other assistance.
American Psychological Association – Developmental Psychology Division– promotes research in the field of developmental psychology and high standards in the application of scientific knowledge to educational, child care, policy and related settings.
Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services – Early Childhood Research Institute – collects and describes early childhood/early intervention resources that have been developed across the U.S. for children with disabilities and their families and service providers.
Circle of Inclusion – for early childhood service providers and families of young children, birth to age 8.
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/eip/index.htm
New York State
Early Intervention Program official website with state regulations, developmental checklist and other information.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/earlyint/earlyint.shtml
New York City Early Intervention Program official website with provider directories and important memos.
The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
The center supports the implementation of the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Our mission is to strengthen service systems to ensure that children with disabilities (birth through five) and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally appropriate, and family-centered supports and services.
The National Head Start Association is a private not-for- profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,700 Head Start programs in the United States.
Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for Americans to let Congress and governors know that they support the important mission of Head Start and do not want to see this program serving nearly 1 million at-risk children destroyed.
The New York State Child Care Coordinating Council (NYSCCCC) has been working to make quality, affordable child care available to New York’s families since 1975. Rooted in a statewide network of child care resource and referral agencies, the membership of NYSCCCC includes wide representation from child care providers, parents, businesses, community organizations, and other individuals.
CICC, the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring, offers a web site of numerous programs and materials to help parents become more effective and numerous continuing education programs and materials for professionals who work with children and families.
The New York Zero-to- Three Network promotes the optimal development of young children, their families, and their communities in the New York region. The Network provides support and information to professionals who work with New York’s youngest children and their families by creating opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration.
www.consumerdangers.com/products
Our children’s safety team at www.consumerdangers.com/products/ strives to provide a comprehensive free resource for the public to learn more about defective children’s devices such as baby strollers, high chairs, and drop side cribs that can potentially cause harm and even death.
QuitDay.org helps protects infants from cigarette smoke at home and in daycare.
Autism Speaks Family Services offer a number of Spanish-language resources. They include: Autism Speaks Manual de los 100 Dias (100 Day Tool Kit), Autism Speaks Autismo Respuesta Linea Directa (Autism Response Team Hotline): 1-888-772-9050, Autism Speaks Biblioteca de Recursos (Autism Resource Library)
Autism Outreach Southern California, LLC is a San Diego based company that provides one-on-one Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to children ages 12 months to 18 years and their families who are impacted by autism and related disorders. We service families across the great San Diego metropolitan area. We use the evidence-based principles and methodologies of ABA to increase acquisition of language, cognitive, adaptive and social skills while decreasing engagement in maladaptive behavior across all environments.
www.phdinspecialeducation.com/autism-aspergers/
A list of the 101 best Autism and Asperger’s resources on the web . The complexity and shifting definitions of the term autism spectrum disorder and other related conditions makes this an important subject for anyone working with students or clients with these diagnoses. These sites are broadly categorized in no set order, and they offer information, from scientific data to personal anecdotes, that makes it easier to understand autism spectrum disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome, and other relevant disorders.
A wonderful certificate program for parents or professionals who want to learn Floortime strategies in the DIR model which has been developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and expanded by Dr. Rick Solomon.
This website is devoted to information helping the parent first learning about autism or suspecting autism in their young child.
The mission of the Autism Society of America is to promote lifelong access and opportunity for all individuals within the autism spectrum, and their families, to be fully participating, included members of their community.
A site offering information and links regarding the developmental disabilities autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
The Center for the Study of Autism provides information about autism to parents and professionals, and conducts research on the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions.
Cure Autism Now is an organization of parents, physicians, and researchers, dedicated to promoting and funding research with direct clinical implications for treatment and a cure for autism.
Group of parents who have children on the Autism Spectrum or who suffer from inflammatory diseases such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia. Recent studies suggest a link between these conditions. We each know how overwhelming it can be when your child is first diagnosed. As well, we understand the daily struggle as well as the joys of raising these very special children. We have come together to curate and create resources that have been helpful to us in the hopes that these will help other parents struggling to care for and to help their children thrive.
The purpose of this site is to guide you to the key issues associated with autism spectrum disorders.
The National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) is the first organization in the U.S. dedicated to funding and accelerating biomedical research focusing on autism spectrum disorders.
www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm
National Institutes of Mental Health publications and FAQs regarding autism.
FEAT is a non-profit organization of parents, educators, and other professionals dedicated to providing world-class Education, Advocacy and Support for the Northern California Autism Community.
Arizona State University’s online certification program for autism spectrum disorders – a helpful resource for educators and family members who want to prepare for working with children and adults who have autism spectrum disorder.
Since 1974, Geneva Centre for Autism has been the leader in developing and teaching the most effective techniques for those affected by Autism/P.D.D. The Centre delivers services to enhance the lives of people affected by Autism/P.D.D.
Society For The Autistically Handicapped. The Society exists to increase awareness of autism, together with well established and newly developed approaches in the diagnosis, assessment, education and treatment. The main goal is to improve the quality of life for persons with Autism.
Links and resources regarding autism and pervasive developmental disorders.
www.patientcenters.com/autism/
Patient-centered guides, books, and articles regarding autism.
The Autism Channel is a friendly place for the discussion of Autism and related disorders such as PDD, Aspergers Syndrome, etc. We discuss therapies, treatment options, what has worked, what hasn’t, and just chat with other people who understand our lives. (Live chat).
This is the only autism advocacy organization dedicated to “Social Justice for All Citizens with Autism” through a shared vision and a commitment to positive approaches.
Autism Network International, an autistic-run self-help and advocacy organization for autistic people.
We became the leading publisher in the world in autism/Asperger’s primarily because my son, Alex, was diagnosed with autism. This event led me to write a charming little book, “Laughing and Loving with Autism.”
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/autism.html
National Library of Medicine / Medline links regarding autism.
autismconnect is a FREE web site, which aims to be the first port of call for anyone interested in autism, providing news,events, world maps, and rapid access to other web sites with information on autism.
The World Autism Organisation (WAO), officially announced on November 21 1998 in Luxembourg, has for main goal to help making better the quality of life of autistic people and that of their families throughout the world.
www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/autism/
Vaccines and Autism Theory:At a glance: The weight of currently available scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that vaccines cause autism
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/NASP/Autism.pdf
The Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders; by Stephen E. Brock, Ph.D., NCSP, Carolyn Chang, Vanessa Gatewood; California State University, Sacramento; Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and School Psychology
http://www.ddhealthinfo.org/pdf/ASDGuidelines1.pdf
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Best Practice Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis and Assessment provides recommendations, guidance and information about current best practices in the field. These Guidelines offer evidence-based recommendations and cannot be interpreted as policy or regulation, but as a tool designed to help health care providers and families make informed decisions regarding identification, diagnosis and assessment of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Additionally, these Guidelines provide a framework for the development and broad implementation of educational and training programs designed to reach professionals who in their day-to-day practice may encounter individuals suspected of having an ASD.
Special Education and IEP Links