Early Intervention

The New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) is part of the national Early Intervention Program for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. To be eligible for services, children must be under 3 years of age and have a confirmed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by the State, in one or more of the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and/or adaptive. Early Intervention is provided at no cost to the family. To Refer a child to the early intervention program dial 311 and you may request that your initial service coordinator is from Los Ninos Services. We provide the following services through the Early Intervention Program: Evaluations, Service Coordination, ABA Therapy, Speech, Physical, Occupational Therapy, Social Work Services.

a. Service Coordination
What is service coordination and who provides it?

What is an initial service coordinator? The initial service coordinator contacts the parents or guardians to help guide the family through the evaluation process. The initial service coordinator ensures that parents are informed about the Early Intervention Program and their rights under the program, they obtain parent/guardian consent for the evaluations, help them select an evaluation agency, and attend the IFSP meeting when services are recommended in order to agree on the service plan.

What is an ongoing service coordinator? The Ongoing Service Coordinator provides case management services after the IFSP meeting to monitor the delivery of early intervention services in accordance with the IFSP and to advocate for the family and assist them with other needs. Ongoing service coordinators provide parents with continuing opportunities to share information, priorities, and concerns. The Ongoing Service Coordinator often speaks with families by phone and can arrange for in person visits. The Ongoing Service Coordinator is responsible for facilitating the child’s transition to preschool special education services and/or other programs and services, as needed, when the child ages out of the Early Intervention Program.

b. Evaluations
The child will have evaluations in order to determine the child’s progress, needs, and if the child qualifies for services in the program. Once a child is refered to the Early Intervention Program (EIP), parents have a right to choose an evaluation agency to conduct their child’s EIP evaluation. Los Ninos Services conducts Early Intervention services in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County.

c. Services

i. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
ABA is a is a scientific approach to understanding behavior. ABA therapy helps children learn skills. Skills commonly worked on include communication, academic, social, play, activities of daily living, and behvaior. ABA services can be recommended for children who either have a diagnosis of autism or who present with challenges in learning that may benefit from ABA methodologies.
ii. Occupational Therapy
In early intervention, occupational therapy (OT) practitioners promote the function and engagement of infants and toddlers and their families in everyday routines by addressing areas including activities of daily living, rest and sleep, play, education, fine motor, sensory, and social participation.
iii. Physical Therapy
In early intervention, physical therapy (PT) practitioners will help your child learn to master skills such as holding up their head, sitting up, crawling, pulling themselves up to stand, and walking. Physical therapists offer hands-on training for movement, feeding, and play.
iv. Speech Therapy
Speech Therapists treat communication and language difficulties. Therapy focuses on communication, expressive langauge, and receptive language in young children.
v. Special Instruction
Special Instructor (SI) is a special education teacher who specializes in supporting and understanding the social, emotional and cognitive development of young children and to help them learn and grow well.
vi. Center Based Services – (click here to know more)