Treasure Coast Early Steps Primary Service Provider Approach to Early Intervention in Natural

Environments

Provider Onboarding Series 1

By: Brenda Amos-Mossand

Donna DeSanto

In this section you will learn about Primary Service Provider Approach to Early Intervention

• You will learn what Early Intervention is and IDEA.

• Definition of Primary Service Provider/Secondary Provider

• Who is part of the PSP Team

• Difference between PSP Team and IFSP Team

• Natural Environment

• Routine based intervention

• Evidenced based Early Intervention

What is Early Intervention?

• Early Intervention services are authorized through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-Part C (34 CFR 303.167 c (1).

• Services for children birth to 36 months with an established medical condition or significant developmental delay and their families.

• Developmental Delay meets or exceeds 2.0 standard deviations below the mean in one or more developmental domains or meets or exceeds 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in two or more developmental domains.

What is the Primary Service Provider approach to Service Delivery?

• The Primary Service Provider Team identifies one member to serve as the “Primary Provider” who, during ongoing visits, provides education and coaching strategies to help the family/caregiver develop the skills needed to support their child’s development.

What does Primary Service Provider approach to service delivery mean?

The team selects a primary service provider (PSP) based on the outcome(s) developed by the team.

The PSP provides coaching, strategies and support to the family as authorized on the IFSP.

The PSP is able to consult with the other team members at bi-weekly team meetings as needed to obtain additional strategies to take back to the family.

An additional team member can also participate in a joint home visit. This is known as a consultation to help build on the strategies that the PSP has already provided to the family.

Who participates as

part of the Primary Service Provider Team?

• Parent• Service Coordinator• Infant Toddler Developmental

Specialist• Speech Therapist• Physical Therapist • Occupational Therapist

Does Primary mean one service?

• Primary in this approach means the principal member of the IFSP team to implement strategies to address the outcomes on the IFSP.

• They are the lead member of the team providing coaching and support to the family.

• Other team members are actively involved with the PSP, with the frequency and intensity of the interaction dependent on the needs/concerns of the child and family.

• The team determines the outcome.

Does Primary mean one service?

• The outcome determines who in addition to the Family and Service Coordinator make up the team.

• If the team determines (based on concerns and outcomes developed) that they need more than one discipline to work with the family, there will still be a PSP identified for the child and family.

• The additional discipline working with the family would be the secondary provider.

Secondary Provider• When the team determines during an IFSP team meeting, that additional

support is needed to meet the outcome(s) the team may consider the addition of a second provider (secondary).

• The team will determine the intensity, frequency and duration of the secondary provider’s authorization.

• The team may consider having the primary step back while the secondary provider increases their support and coaching for a specified period of time.

• The IFSP team determines who the PSP is and if any additional supports and services are needed.

• If the team decides that a requested support or service is not appropriate at this time the SC provides the family with written prior notice immediately which informs the family of the teams decision and why the decision was reached.

Individual Family Support Plan (IFSP) Team Meetings

• Family can request an IFSP team meeting at any time they have a new concern about their child’s development or progress.

• Program requires an IFSP team meeting every six months, also known as Periodic Review.

• IFSP team meets annually to develop a new IFSP utilizing parent report, current interventionist report and additional testing as needed.

How do we determine frequency, intensity duration for services?

• Family and team develop functional outcome(s) based on results of evaluation, parental concerns and needs of family as well as family routine.

• Once outcome(s) are developed the team determines who on the team can best help support the family to meet this outcome.

• Frequency is determined by how many times the PSP many need to meet with the family to provide support and coaching opportunities based on families ability to implement the strategies and the learning that occurs between visits.

There are also PSP Team Meetings:

• Team meetings promote active participation of many professionals to receive coaching, support and to build on the experience of each other.

• The primary provider has the opportunity to learn new skills from other professionals and how to implement new ideas and skills during the home visit.

• Provides more occasions for sharing information, new ideas, feedback and self reflection.

• Can help the Primary solve a current challenge.

Treasure Coast Early Steps has developed 14 Teams to meet the needs of our 5 Counties.

Palm Beach County Teams

Jupiter/Palm Beach Gardens

Loxahatchee/Royal Palm Beach

West Palm Beach/Riviera Beach

Wellington/Greenacres

Lantana/North Boynton BeachCentral/South

Boynton Beach

West Boca/Delray

East Boca/Delray

North Area Teams

Martin County St. Lucie County

Indian River County Okeechobee County

Where does the IFSP TEAM provide Coaching and Support to Families and Caregivers?

The Natural Environment

• Where does Natural Environment Coaching occur?

• Natural environment, means everyday routines, activities and places that the child and their family experience.

• Home and community settings in which children without disabilities participate.

Why Natural Environments?

• Maximizes each child’s everyday natural learning opportunities.

• Provides supports and services where children live, learn and play.

• Enhances each child’s learning, development and participation in family and community life.

• Services are imbedded into the daily functional activities of the child and family.

What is routines based intervention?

• Routines based intervention involves outcomes relevant to routines of child and family.

• If the targeted skill can increase independence or social relationships, it is routines based.

• Routine goes beyond location.

What do we know about evidenced based Early Intervention?• Infants and toddlers learn best through everyday experiences and

interactions with familiar people in familiar contexts.

• All families, with the necessary supports and resources, can enhance their child’s learning and development.

• The early intervention process from initial contact through transition, must be dynamic and individualized to reflect the child’s and family member’s preferences, learning styles and cultural beliefs.

You have now completed Series 1 and are ready to move on to Series 2 titled:

IFSP and Functional Outcome and Goal Development

Series 2

Now We Begin