TIP SHEET

Early Intervention

Early Intervention (EI) is a program offered through the New York State Department of Health for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. EI offers free support services to children that are under the age of 3 and their families, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy, family support groups and counseling, vision services, assistive technology devices, and psychological services.

Referring Children to EI

If you think your child has a developmental delay and needs help, you can make a referral to EI by calling 311 or contacting your Early Intervention Official (see borough contacts below). This will lead to an evaluation that will determine if s/he is eligible for EI and the kind of help your child needs.

Next Steps

After the referral, you will be assigned a service coordinator who will talk with you about your concerns, review your rights, discuss evaluation options, and attend the evaluation with you if you wish. You should also receive a copy of A Parent’s Guide to the Early Intervention Program.

If the evaluation shows that your child is eligible for EI, your service coordinator will set up a meeting to work on your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). EI must schedule this meeting within 45 days of the initial referral. Your service coordinator will also answer any questions you have about the EI program and explain how your health insurance can be used. Early Intervention services will not cost you anything.