you are important!! parent training and …...• you are the most important people in your...

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Presented by Connie Shockley402-403-3911

[email protected]

Parent Training and InformationPTI Nebraska

Nebraska Early Intervention: the Birth to Three Individualized Family Service

Plan and Parental Rights 101

YOU ARE IMPORTANT!!• You are the most important people in your child’s life• You know your child better than anyone else• You share your child’s joys and challenges

Pacer Center, Inc.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Early intervention services are available to any child who qualifies in Nebraska to help families who have a child with a disability.

These services were brought about by efforts of parents who changed laws to make these services available.

EARLY INTERVENTION AND THE LAW

P.L. 99-457 EHA (1986)PART H

P.L. 101-476 IDEA (1990)

P.L. 105-17 IDEA (1997)PART C

P.L. 108-446 IDEA (2004)

P.L. 94-142 EHA (1975)

Modified Pacer Center, Inc.

In Nebraska, the Early Intervention

program is called the Early Development Network program

(EDN)

Overseen by:• Nebraska Department of Education and• Nebraska Department of Health and Human

Services.

NEBRASKA REGULATIONS

• Early Intervention Regulations for Nebraska for children birth to age three

• Most recent update –July 15, 2014

Website:

https://www.education.ne.gov/nderule/provision-of-early-intervention/

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NEBRASKA REGULATIONS

• Early Intervention Regulations for Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

• Most recent update –November 26, 2014

Website:

https://edn.ne.gov/cms/edn-services-coordination-regulations-480-nac-3

EDN Services Coordination Regulations 480 NAC 3

FEATURES OF THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT NETWORK (EDN)

•Local Programs•Family Centered Services•Early Intervention model

•Coaching Model•Primary Service Provider Model

•Parental Rights•Voluntary Program

EARLY INTERVENTION REVIEW

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)• It is both a process and a written plan.

Includes resources, strengths and needs of families

• Builds upon and provides supports and resources to assist family members and caregivers to enhance infant and toddlers’ learning and development through everyday learning opportunities.

• Not a medical program that ‘treats’ your child.

• Based on the family centered practice that you are your child’s most important teacher.

• You and your EDN team will work together to support and enhance the development of your child.

EARLY INTERVENTION MODEL

• Your team will coach you on how to implement strategies into your child’s daily routine and in-between provider visits.

• Your team will demonstrate and model techniques for you to use with your child.

EARLY INTERVENTION MODEL, CONT.

WHY MAKE A REFERRAL?

• If you have a questions about your child’s development

• If your doctor has a concern about your child’s development

• If there is a diagnosis of a disability

• If there is a diagnosis of a health concern

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WHO CAN MAKE A REFERRAL?

• Parent

• Doctor

• Child Care Provider

However….early intervention is a voluntary program and parent must sign consent for evaluation…..

REFERRALS

• Contact your Early Development Network office

• Contact your local school

• Contact your child’s teacher

• Contact PTI Nebraska

All contacts should get you to the Early Development Network office in your area.

IMPORTANT PROCEDURAL PROCESS

From the date of the referral, school districts have 45 calendar days to complete (Rule 52, Section 006.02A):

• Screening

• Initial assessments of child/family

• Participate in an IFSP meeting

IMPORTANT PROCEDURAL PROCESS

EXCEPTION (Rule 52, Section 006.02B):If there is a family delay in providing consent or participating in the screening, assessment and/or meeting.

IFSP - EVALUATION PROCESS

Screening and/or a Multidisciplinary Evaluation

• A screening may or may not be done to determine if there is a need for evaluation.

• Parents can at any time before, during or after a screening, request a full multidisciplinary evaluation be conducted for their child.

Evaluation and Assessment:A Closer Look

Nondiscriminatory testing:

• Use nondiscriminatory evaluations

• Tests in native language of parents

• Procedures/materials must not discriminate

• No single procedure is used to determine eligibility

• Evaluations/assessments are completed by qualified personnel

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Evaluation includes:

• a review of records

• evaluation of functioning in all areas—

• Physical development

• Communication development

• Cognitive development

• Social or emotional development, and

• Adaptive development

• assessment of needs


Family Assessment:

• Family-directed identification of resources, concerns, and priorities necessary to meet developmental needs of child


Sharing family information related to an infant /toddler:• Family resources, priorities,

concerns• Medical information• Strengths• Milestones • How the infant or toddler plays

and interacts with others• Behavior with family & at day-

care • Other information


DISABILITY CATEGORIES AND VERIFICATION

• There are 13 disability categories a child might verify under once an evaluation has been completed.

• No disability category provides more services than another. This is just to indicate if the child qualified for services.

DISABILITY CATEGORIES AND VERIFICATION

• Services are based on each child’s individual needs as identified in the evaluation or assessment process.

• Verification Technical Assistance Document: http://www.education.ne.gov/sped/technicalassist/verificationguidelines.pdf

DISABILITY CATEGORIES

• Autism• Emotional Disturbance

(previously Behavior Disorder)

• Deaf-Blindness• Developmental Delay• Hearing Impairment• Intellectual Disability

(previously Mental Handicap)

• Multiple Impairments• Orthopedic Impairments• Other Health Impairment• Specific Learning

Disability• Speech-Language

Impairment• Traumatic Brain Injury• Visual Impairment

including Blindness

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IFSP - ELIGIBILITY PROCESSThe multidisciplinary team (MDT) determines if an infant or toddler is eligible for services.

There are 13 verification categories a child might qualify under. We will discuss the most common category for infants/toddlers: Developmental Delay.

If you wish to know more about the other verification categories, please refer to Rule 52 or the Verification Guidelines link previously listed.

IFSP – ELIGIBILITY PROCESS

Parents should and can receive a copy of the MDT report prior to the meeting. (Rule 52, Section 006.10)

• Allows parents time to go over the report and ask questions

Parents need to know and understand what the MDT report states and if they agree with it.

• Why? It is the foundation of everything that comes next (goals/services/placement)

• Parents need to have accurate information to make informed decisions

IFSP – ELIGIBILITY PROCESS

If you as the parent disagree with the MDT evaluation or disagree with the decision on eligibility, you have the right to:

• Discuss with your IFSP team

• Dispute Resolution (Rule 52, Sections 009.05 to 009.08)

• Mediation

• State Complaint

• Due Process

Parental Right

THE IFSP – INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SERVICE PLAN

• Written document

• Based on the evaluation

• Lists services the child and family need

• States how services are provided

• Measurable results (Outcomes) expected

IFSP WRITTEN DOCUMENT

The IFSP is a plan on how your child’s early intervention program will be carried out. • Changes with child, not written in stone• Meetings (minimum):

• IFSP – every six months (annual/periodic)• Parents or school can call an IFSP meeting

as needed• All services, goals, accommodations,

modifications, behavior plans, etc., must be recorded in the IFSP.

IFSP TEAM

Parent

Family members

Advocate

Servicecoordinator

Evaluator

Service providers

School District

Rep

Others?

Who participates in the initial and annual IFSP meeting?

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SERVICES COORDINATOR

A Services Coordinator assists families of children with special needs below the age of three:

- Find services to meet developmental, educational, financial, health care, child care, respite care and other needs;

- Link with needed services


- Work with multiple providers to make sure services are provided as needed;

- Help parents become coordinators of services for their own children in the future.


- Assist in obtaining access to needed services

- Make referrals for needed services and scheduling appointments

- Coordinate services- Coordinate

screenings/testing


- Facilitate/participate in the development, review and evaluation of IFSPs

- Inform parents of their rights

- Facilitate the development of a transition plan to preschool or other services

INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SERVICE PLAN (IFSP) FORM

Documents the following:

- your child’s individual needs and strengths

- Your family’s concerns and priorities

- Your child’s current level of development

- Goals you wish to see for your child and your family

- Services

- The transition plan after early intervention

DEMOGRAPHICS

• Child Name / Birthday

• Contact information

• Parents• Services Coordinator

• Meeting Dates

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FAMILY CONCERNS AND DESIRED PRIORITIES

• Family Concerns/ Priorities

• Family Assessment

• Used to generate goals

• Updated at any time

CHILD AND FAMILY’S STRENGTHS

• Strengths• Talents• Resources• Relationships

FAMILY-CENTERED SERVICES ARE BUILT ON EXISTING STRENGTHS

• Shared input permits mutual responsibility and pride for the outcomes targeted.

• When a family is empowered to view itself as capable to meet the needs of their child, the need for professional services becomes secondary

PRESENT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT

• Date of evaluation• Age of your child at time of evaluation

• Current abilities

• A brief narrative statement is written describing your child’s achievements in each developmental milestones.


This is a snapshot of your child today. It needs to look like your child.

• Vision• Hearing

• Health Status

• Cognitive/ Thinking Skills

• Communication Skills

• Social/ Behavioral Skills


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• Self Help/ Adaptive Skills

• Fine Motor Skills

• Gross Motor Skills

PRESENT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME PAGE

• Goal/Outcome• Child & Family Strengths and resources related to goal

• What will be done by whom

• Review / Progress

OUTCOMES

• Observable behaviors or products the team wishes to see or have in place in 6 months.

• Not helpful to write outcomes as "improvements" or "increases" in specific behaviors.

• Not a description or listing of services to be provided

• Wording is reflective of the family's understanding of the outcome and reflecting the family's words and wants.

• Can assist families in knowing where their child is at in their development and to develop a path to achieve goals important to the family.

OUTCOMES

OUTCOME PAGE

Progress:• How often

• By whom• How measured

• Plan Review• Date:

How much progress

Next steps/ comments

IFSP TRANSITION PLAN

• To be used with all transitions

• Plan for the changes

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IFSP TRANSITION PLAN FAMILY CHOICE

• Transition Notice

• Differences between IFSP/IEP

• Special Education or Early Intervention

• Signature

TRANSITION CONFERENCE

Between 9 months and 90 days before your child turns 3 years old, a transition conference will be held:

• Typically part of a regularly scheduled IFSP meeting.

• Discussion on transitioning from early intervention to special education

• Transition goals will be listed on the transition page.

As part of this meeting parents receive information on:

- A description of rights to choose early intervention or preschool special education services

- An explanation of the differences between early intervention services and special education regulations

- The types of services and the locations at which the services are provided

- The procedural safeguards that apply

TRANSITION CONFERENCE REMAINING IN EARLY INTERVENTION PAST AGE 3

• A description that the IFSP services provided will include an educational component that promotes school readiness and

• Incorporates pre-literacy, language, and numeracy skills for children who are at least 3 years of age

SERVICES PAGE

• Transportation

• Service• How much• Start/End dates• Who pays• Who is responsible• Justification

statementrelated to Natural Environments

OTHER SERVICES PAGE

• Extra Services Page

• Other Services/ Supports (i.e. Community) not funded through EDN

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CHILD/FAMILY TEAM• Team Members

Present

• Name

• Signature

• Role

• Address & phone

• Team Members / Others not present

• Family initials for copies

INFORMED CONSENT PAGE

• Consent is voluntary / may be revoked

• Informed of the IFSP team’s decisions

• Can accept/decline any service

• Receive copy of documents

• Signature for agreement or disagreement

PLACEMENT – NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Services are provided in settings natural or typical for the child’s same aged peers who have no disabilities:• Home• Extended family• Child care• Community

Home and community

settings whereall childrenparticipate

Maximumextent

appropriate

FOCUS ON SERVICES

Help families enhance the learning and development of their child

Assure children participate fully in family and community activities

Maximize naturally occurring learning opportunities

IFSP – YEAR ROUND SERVICESYear Round Services are Continuous Services and should be just as frequent in July as in January.

• The only exception is if the family changes the frequency.

• The family/child may remain on an IFSP to August 31 of the school year they turn 3 years old. (Example: If Billy turns 3 in November, he may remain on an IFSP until August 31st of the next year.)

• This allows for continuation of Service Coordination and Year Round Services.

IFSP REVIEW

IFSPs are:• Written once a year (initial/annual)• reviewed every six months (periodic)• Parents and providers can call for an IFSP meeting at any time.

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IFSP RE-EVALUATION

• Re-Evaluation for qualification of services occurs every three years.

• IFSP – when exiting early intervention services there may or may not be a full re-evaluation depending on when the last evaluation was completed and how much change is seen in the child.

Transitioning out of Early Intervention Services

WHAT IS TRANSITION?

“A successful transition is a series of well-planned steps to facilitate the movement of the child and family into another setting.”

(Bruder, 2010)

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS

• Hospital to home• Individual to group services• Weekly to daily or daily to less frequent

services• Home-based to center-based (preschool)• Biological home to foster care and back• Moving to a new community (within- or out-

of-state)• Transitioning from an IFSP to an IEP

TRANSITION PLANS ARE DESIGNED TO

• Ensure continuity of services

• Minimize disruption to the family

• Promote child functioning in the natural environment or least restrictive environment

• Clarify services coordination before and after

• Involve planning, preparation, implementation, and evaluation within and between programs and the family

TRANSITIONS PLANS SHOULD

• Be outlined in the IFSP as soon as an anticipated change in services is considered

• Have steps/services needed to prepare the child and family incorporated into the IFSP over time using the IFSP Transition Page.

• Can start as early as the Initial IFSP meeting and added to until the child exits Early Intervention Services.

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TRANSITIONING FROM THE IFSP TO IEP

OR TO COMMUNITY SERVICES

TWO POSSIBLE TRANSITION PATHWAYS

1. Does the data suggest your child is eligible for Part B – Special Education services?

2. Does the data suggest your child is not potentially eligible for Part B - Special Education Services?

TIMELINES FOR PATHWAYS

- Transition to IEP- Must have a transition meeting with family

approval

- Transition to other community services- Make reasonable efforts to have a transition

meeting

- Both:- Transition meeting must be held not fewer than

90 days before the child’s 3rd birthday.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL CHILDREN TRANSITIONING OFF

AN IFSP

• EDN Services Coordinator facilitates transition

• Families are involved in planning

• Review child’s program options

WHO SHOULD BE AT THE TRANSITION MEETING?

- Parent(s) of the child

- EDN Services Coordinator

- Person(s) involved in evaluation/assessments

- Other family members as requested by the family

- An advocate if requested by family

- A representative of the school district who has the authority to commit resources**

STEPS FOR TRANSITION

1. Prepare for transition planning and transition conference

2. Have the transition conference

3. Implement the transition plan

4. Conduct the Initial IEP

5. Exit from the Early Development Network (Part C – early intervention)

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WHEN TO MOVE FROM THE IFSP TO IEP – FAMILY CHOICE

In Nebraska, a family may remain on an IFSP until August 31st of the school year a child turns 3. (Birthday in November, can remain on an IFSP until August 31st of the following year.)

• Keep EDN Services Coordinator• Keep Year Round Services• At anytime between 3rd birthday and August 31st,

family can choose to move their child to an IEP.

ADDITIONAL DATA?

The team needs to review the IFSP information in order to plan for any needed assessments or evaluations.

- Is the data still current?- Does it reflect the child’s needs and

strengths?

OTHER TRANSITION DECISIONS

• Discussions with, and training of, parents regarding future placements and other matters related to the child’s transition.

• Procedures to prepare the child for changes in service delivery, including steps to help the child adjust to, and function in, a new setting.

• Discuss Part B special education and support/related services in the least restrictive environment

• When to have the IEP meeting

Other Important Considerations

DOCUMENTATION – PUT IT IN WRITING! GET IT IN WRITING!

• It can be very helpful to place your requests and concerns in writing and send it to the appropriate agency/organization/staff. It can assist with clear communication, keep everyone informed and be a resource if needed.

DOCUMENTATION – PUT IT IN WRITING! GET IT IN WRITING!

• Information on referrals, evaluations, and decisions on verification as well as supports and services should be in writing.

• Prior Written Notice is required around identification, evaluation, placement and the provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

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PARENTAL RIGHTS

• Always try to take issues back to your EDN Services Coordinator/IFSP team

• Request Prior Written Notice whenever there is an agreement for OR refusal of:

• Identification• Evaluation• Placement• Provisions of Free and Appropriate

Public Education

PARENTAL RIGHTS

Dispute Resolution

• Mediation – by outside third party to try and negotiate a resolution

• State Complaint – goes to Nebraska Department of Education for a review

• Due Process – formal hearing in front of a Hearing Officer

SUPPORTS/SERVICES• Early Development Network

• http://edn.ne.gov

• Legal Aid of Nebraska • http://www.legalaidofnebraska.org/

• Nebraska Department of Education, Special Education

• http://www.education.ne.gov/sped/

• Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorders Network• http://www.unl.edu/asdnetwork/home

• Nebraska Resource and Referral Directory• https://nrrs.ne.gov

• Parent Training and Information (PTI)• http://www.pti-nebraska.org