Referral
Once a referral is submitted, the Early Intervention process begins and the family is guided through the next steps.
FOR FAMILIES
Understand Early Intervention
If you have concerns about your baby or toddler’s development, you do not need to have all the answers before asking for help. New York City’s Early Intervention Program supports eligible infants and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities.
What is Early Intervention?
New York City’s Early Intervention Program is a public program for eligible infants and toddlers under age 3. The program is voluntary, confidential and family-centered, and works with families to support children’s developmental needs and family priorities.
A to Z Child Development provides evaluations, Service Coordination, and multidisciplinary therapy and developmental services within the Early Intervention Program.
What might lead to a referral?
Families may have questions about how a child communicates, learns, moves, plays, interacts with others or participates in everyday activities.
A referral is the first step in determining whether a child may be eligible for Early Intervention services.
What does Early Intervention cost?
Early Intervention services authorized through the program are provided at no direct cost to families. If a child has health insurance, including Medicaid, it may be used to help pay for approved Early Intervention services.
Families are never responsible for copayments or deductibles for authorized Early Intervention services, and a child’s authorized services will not be reduced or stopped because insurance benefits have been exhausted.
How do I make a referral?
Families and professionals can complete our online referral form or call our team at 718-635-2404. Our team can help you begin the Early Intervention referral process and understand what comes next.
What happens after a referral?
Referral → Evaluation → IFSP → Authorized Services
Evaluation
After referral, the Early Intervention process includes an evaluation to determine whether the child is eligible for the program.
Individualized plan
If the child is eligible, the family and Early Intervention team develop an Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP, based on the child’s developmental needs and the family’s priorities.
Services
The municipality authorizes services identified through the IFSP process, and qualified Early Intervention professionals provide those services in accordance with the plan.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Important information about Early Intervention
The Early Intervention Program is a public, voluntary and confidential program for infants and toddlers under age 3 who have or are suspected of having a developmental delay or disability.
We can help families begin the referral process. Families may complete our online referral form or call our team at 718-635-2404.
Eligibility is determined through the Early Intervention evaluation process. If a child is eligible, the family and Early Intervention team develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) based on the child’s developmental needs and family priorities. Services identified through this process must be authorized by the municipality.
Authorized Early Intervention services are provided at no direct cost to families. We provide evaluations, Service Coordination, therapy and developmental services within this process. Submitting our referral form or contacting our agency does not by itself establish eligibility or authorize services.