Services for Children Prenatal to Three
The Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program (ITEIP) offers information and referrals to assist families in accessing birth to three services for young children with possible developmental delays.
The Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program (ITEIP) provides early intervention services, including family resources coordination, for eligible children from birth to 3 years old and their families.
ITEIP, located within the Department of Social and Health (DSHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), is the DSHS program responsible for implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA), Part C in Washington State.
All children in Clark County, birth to three, including children at risk for developmental delays, are entitled to participate in the following components with the consent of their parent(s): early identification, multidisciplinary evaluation, and determination of eligibility for early intervention services.
Services related to the infant or toddler's development are offered to families at no cost unless their insurance company or Medicaid requires a co-payment or deductible.
Free Developmental Screenings
ITEIP staff provides free developmental screenings for children ages birth to three at a screening fair, individual screening appointments in the home, and in the office. A screening is a quick look at how a child is learning and growing. Screenings are done by people trained to determine how your child is developing. If a child's development is a concern, the Family Resources Coordinator (FRC) can share information on how to get an evaluation for the child.
Evaluations
An evaluation will look at a child's development with the parents, child and early intervention professionals are involved together in this process. Family Resource Coordinator's (FRC's) help the family choose which Early Intervention Agency they want their child to be evaluated at and receive services if the child qualifies. Evaluation looks at these areas of development:
- Cognitive - ability to learn and how a child learns
- Physical - ability to move, see and hear
- Communication - ability to understand language and express needs
- Social or emotional - ability to relate with others
- Adaptive skills - ability to dress, eat and take care of themselves
An evaluation is a way to see if a child is eligible for early intervention services. The evaluation will occur only with the family's written permission and at no cost to them.
Family Resource Coordination
ITEIP Family Resource Coordinators (FRC’s) support families through the identification of needs and implementation of early intervention services through an Individualized Family Service Plan (ISFP). The family will have a meeting with a Family Resources Coordinator (FRC) and other service providers who make up the IFSP team. The family, with the team, will write a plan based on the family's resources, priorities and concerns. Services begin when the family has agreed to the IFSP that has been developed. The IFSP is an on-going process that meets the changing needs of the child and family. It is reviewed at least every 6 months and rewritten on a yearly basis. The family works with their FRC to assure the plan reflects the family's concerns, interests, and values. |
Contact Info
Maria Pilcher
Lead Family Resource Coordinator
360-896-9912 ext. 463
Clark County Interagency Coordinating Council (CCICC)
The CCICC is the advisory body to the local ITEIP contracted early intervention lead agency. The CCICC's focus on making services easier for families to access locally and on building community capacity for early intervention services. CCICC membership includes representation from the following:
- Parents and family members of children, ages birth through twelve with disabilities and/or developmental delays;
- Local health departments/districts
- Other minority community representatives
- School districts and educational service districts
- Higher education/personnel preparation
- Early intervention service providers
- Medical providers
- County Human Services
- Local DSHS representation from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Community Services Office (CSO), and Children's Administration (CA)
- County or Regional Mental Health Agency
- Child care providers
Other public and private agencies providing services to infants and toddlers (childcare providers, parks and recreation, Medicaid transportation brokers, etc.)
The Role of the CCICC
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Working to improve the local early intervention system by identifying public and private funding sources across all relevant community partners
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Assisting in implementing the local payer of last resort policies and procedures
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Helping identify local gaps in services and community needs and developing strategies to improve/resolve them
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Collaborating and coordinating with other local planning groups in improving services for children and families
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Organizing local public awareness outreach efforts
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Organizing and sponsoring local early intervention training's for families, providers and community members interested in early intervention/early childhood issues
For more information on the State ITEIP program and Part C under IDEA, please visit: http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/iteip. |
