Minnesota’s Early Intervention System

Created by Minnesota Region 10 IEIC Child Find/Outreach subcommittee in collaboration with Owatonna Public Schools

• Services for children who may be experiencing delays in their development for several reasons including special health conditions

• Developmental evaluation to determine eligibility• Supports available:

• Connections to community services and programs• Ways a family can support their child’s development at home• Special instruction and services

• Specialists available:• Early Childhood Specialists• Speech Therapy• Occupational Therapy• Physical Therapy• School Psychologists

What is Early Intervention?

• Must meet state eligibility criteria• Serves children ages birth – kindergarten

entrance• Services are FREE to eligible families• No income requirements• No immigrant status requirements• Children can receive services in their home, child

care setting or school

Early Intervention Services

An infant or toddler is eligible for early intervention services if the child meets one of the following criteria for Developmental Delay:

1. A delay of 1.5 standard deviations or more below the mean in at least one developmental area: - Cognitive Development - Physical Development - Communication - Social and Emotional Development - Adaptive Development

2. A diagnosed physical or mental condition or disorder that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay, regardless of whether the child has demonstrated a need or delay. - Chromosomal/Genetic - Neuro-developmental - Prenatal/Perinatal conditions - Social/Emotional/Behavioral conditions A detailed list can be found on the Dept. of Health website at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/cyshn/earlyintro.cfm

Eligibility Criteria-Part CAge: Birth – 2 years, 11 monthsAll areas of development are assessed

regardless of referral concerns

An infant or toddler is also eligible for early intervention services if the child meets the criteria for any one of the special education disability categories (as defined in MN Administrative Rules):• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) • Deaf-Blind • Emotional or Behavioral Disorders • Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Developmental Cognitive Disability • Other Health Disabilities • Physically Impaired • Severely Multiply Impaired • Specific Learning Disability • Speech or Language Impairments • Visually Impaired • Traumatic Brain Injury More information can be found at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/cyshn/earlyintro.cfm

Eligibility Criteria-Part CContinued…

Young children ages 3 to kindergarten entrance are eligible for preschool special education services if the child meets one of the following criteria for Developmental Delay:

1. A delay of 1.5 standard deviations or more below the mean in at least two developmental areas: - Cognitive Development - Physical Development - Communication - Social and Emotional Development - Adaptive Development

2. A diagnosed physical or mental condition or disorder that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay, and has an identified need for service. - Chromosomal/Genetic - Neuro-developmental - Prenatal/Perinatal conditions - Social/Emotional/Behavioral conditions A detailed list can be found on the Dept. of Health website at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/cyshn/earlyintro.cfm

Eligibility Criteria-Part BAge: 3 years – kindergarten entranceOnly the developmental

areas of suspected delay need to be assessed

Young children ages 3 through kindergarten entrance are also eligible for preschool special education services if the child has a disability (as defined by one of the categories listed below):• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) • Deaf-Blind • Emotional or Behavioral Disorders • Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Developmental Cognitive Disability • Other Health Disabilities • Physically Impaired • Severely Multiply Impaired • Speech or Language Impairments • Visually Impaired • Traumatic Brain Injury More information can be found at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/cyshn/earlyintro.cfm

Eligibility Criteria-Part BContinued…

• Cognitive• Motor (Gross and Fine Motor)• Communication (Expressive and Receptive)• Adaptive• Social/Emotional

Five Areas of Development for Assessment

Cognitive2 months

pays attention to faces; begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance

4 months

responds to affection; reaches for a toy with one hand; uses hands and eyes together (sees a toy and reaches for it); follows moving things with eyes; watches faces closely; recognizes familiar people and things at a distance

6 months

looks around at things nearby; brings things to mouth; shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach; begins to pass things from one hand to the other

9 months

watches the path of something as it falls; looks for things he sees you hide; plays peek-a-boo; puts things in her mouth; moves things smoothly from one hand to the other; picks up things like cereal O’s between thumb and index finger

12 months

explores things in different ways like shaking, banging, throwing; finds hidden things easily; looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named; copies gestures; starts to use things correctly (drinks from a cup, brushes hair); bangs two things together; puts things in a container and takes things out of a container; lets things go without help; pokes with index finger; follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”

2 years finds things even when hidden under two or three covers; begins to sort shapes and colors; completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books; plays simple make-believe games; builds towers of 4 or more blocks; might use one hand more than the other; follows two-step directions such as “pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.”; names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, dog.

3 years can work toys with buttons, levers and moving parts; plays make-believe with dolls, animals and people; does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces; understands what “two” means; copies a circle with pencil or crayon; turns book pages one at a time; builds towers of more than 6 blocks; screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle

Center for Disease Control and Prevention as adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD:BIRTH TO AGE 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT FUTURES: GUIDLEINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, 2008Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw and Paula M. Duncan,2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Motor2 months can hold head up and begins to push up when lying on

tummy; makes smoother movements with arms and legs

4 months holds head steady, unsupported; pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface; may be able to roll over from tummy to back; can hold a toy and shake it and swing a dangling toy; brings hands to mouth; when lying on stomach, pushes up to elbows

6 months rolls over in both directions (front to back and back to front); begins to sit without support; when standing, supports weight on legs and might bounce; rocks back and forth on hands/knees, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

9 months stands, holding on; can get into sitting position; sits without support; pulls to stand; crawls

12 months gets to a sitting position without help; pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture; takes a few steps without holding on; may stand alone

2 years stands on tiptoe; kicks a ball; begins to run; climbs onto and down from furniture without help; walks up and down stairs holding on; throws ball overhand; makes or copies straight lines and circles

3 years climbs well; runs easily; pedals a tricycle; walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step Center for Disease Control and Prevention as

adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD:BIRTH TO AGE 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT FUTURES: GUIDLEINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, 2008Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw and Paula M. Duncan,2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention as adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD:BIRTH TO AGE 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT FUTURES: GUIDLEINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, 2008Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw and Paula M. Duncan,2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Communication2 months coos; makes gurgling sounds; turns head toward sounds

4 months has different cries for hunger, pain, being tired; vocalizes with expression; uses varied vowel sounds

6 months begins to say consonant sounds; takes turns making sounds; makes sounds to show joy and displeasure

9 months understands “no”; uses consonant/vowel combinations (mamama, bababa); copies sounds and gestures of others; begins using fingers to point at things

12 months responds to simple requests; uses simple gestures (shakes head, waves); says “mama” and “dada”; tries to say words that others say

2 years points to things/pictures when they are named; says sentences with 2-4 words; follows simple instructions; uses 50 intelligible words by 2 yrs. old, uses 200 intelligible words by 2 ½ yrs. old

3 years can name most familiar things; follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps; uses pronouns and some plurals; talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time; carries on conversations using 2-3 sentences, uses 300 intelligible words by 3 yrs. old

Adaptive2 months opens/closes mouth in response to breast

or bottle stimulus

4 months sleeps in intervals of 4-10 hours at night; naps frequently during the day; brings hand to mouth

6 months brings hand to mouth with toy or object; sleeps longer intervals at night; naps two-three times each day; places hands on bottle/breast

9 months mouths and munches solid foods; holds own bottle; feeds self a cracker; bites and chews toys

12 months feeds self finger foods; holds his own bottle; assists a bit when being dressed

2 years eats with a spoon; drinks from a cup; removes socks, hats and shoes; participates in toileting and hand washing; helps with simple household tasks

3 years eats with a fork; washes hands; uses the toilet with assistance; dresses/undresses with supervision; brushes teeth with supervision

Furuno, S. (1979). Hawaii Early Learning Profile, VORT Corp.

Social/Emotional2 months begins to smile at people; can briefly calm self (may bring hands to

mouth and suck on hand); tries to look at parent

4 months smiles spontaneously, especially at people; likes to play with people and may cry when playing stops; copies some movements and facial expression like smiling or frowning

6 months knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger; likes to play with others, especially parents; responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy; likes to look at self in a mirror

9 months may be afraid of strangers; may be clingy with familiar adults; has favorite toys

12 months is shy or nervous with strangers; cries when mom or dad leaves; has favorite things and people; shows fear in some situations; hands you a book when he wants to hear a story; repeats sounds or actions to get attention; puts out arm or leg to help with dressing; plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”

2 years copies others, especially adults and older children; gets excited when with other children; shows more and more independence; shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to); plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children such as in chase games

3 years copies adults and friends; shows affection for friends without prompting; takes turns in games; shows concern for a crying friend; understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”; shows a wide range of emotions; separates easily from mom and dad; may get upset with major changes in routine; dresses and undresses self

Center for Disease Control and Prevention as adapted from CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD:BIRTH TO AGE 5, Fifth Edition, edited by Steven Shelov and Tanya Remer Altmann by the American Academy of Pediatrics and BRIGHT FUTURES: GUIDLEINES FOR HEALTH SUPERVISION OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, 2008Third Edition, edited by Joseph Hagan, Jr., Judith S. Shaw and Paula M. Duncan,2008, Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Elevated blood lead levels• Failure to thrive• Infants born under <1500 grams• Prenatal exposure to alcohol / drugs• Loss of acquired skills or delayed developmental milestones• Loss of babbling or speech • Loss of social skills• No words by 16 months• Not engaging in vocal imitation by 12-15 months• Child does not show interest in other children• Lack of eye contact / interaction with caregiver• Extremely quiet infant• Child does not point to indicate interest• Child does not follow another person’s point• Child does not respond to his/her name when called• Child does not bring objects to adult to show interest

If you see these signs or situations, please consider making a referral:

• New Regulations from OSEP: 34 CFR 303.303:  Referral Procedures• Primary referral sources are obligated to make a referral to the early

intervention team whenever there is a suspected delay or disability.• Referral should be made as soon as possible but within 7 days after the

child has been identified• Primary Referral Sources

Hospitals Child Care and Early Learning ProgramsPhysicians LEA’s and SchoolsParents Public Health FacilitiesSocial Service Agencies Clinic and Health Care ProvidersHomeless Shelters Domestic Violence Agencies and SheltersChild Welfare/Protective Services/Foster Care

• Representatives from the intervention team will make contact with parents who always have the right to decline. It is the parent’s decision as to whether or not the referral process moves forward.

Primary Referral Sources

• Part C (birth – 2 years 11 months old)• 45 calendar days from the day of referral to complete

evaluation• Part B (3 years old – kindergarten entrance)

• 30 school days from the day of parent signature to complete evaluation

Timelines for Referral & Evaluation

• Call Help Me Grow at 1-866-693-GROW (4769) or make a referral online at: http://helpmegrowmn.org/ or http://www.parentsknow.state.mn.us/parentsknow/index.html

• Call your local early intervention provider:Program NamePhone Number

Fax NumberEmail

• You will be asked• If parents are aware of the referral• Reason for referral• Basic contact information of child and family

• Child and parent’s names• DOB• Sex of child• Language of child & family

• Referral Response • With signed parental permission, all referral sources will receive a response from the

Help Me Grow provider regarding the outcome of the referral.

How to Refer

http://helpmegrowmn.org/

Questions and Comments?