Columbia
Montour
Snyder
Union
Counties
of Central Pennsylvania
Service System
How do I access Early Intervention Services?
Anyone interested in making a referral or a general inquiry about early intervention for a child under three years of age should contact the CMSU Developmental Supports and Services office at (570) 275-6080 or 1-800-451-9720. Contact can also be made by calling TTY (570) 275-2327 or by emailing cmsudss@cmsu.org.
When making a referral, you will be asked to provide basic information
about the child. This information will include:
• Name of child
• Parents’/legal guardian’s name
• Address including county of residence
• Date of birth
• Living situation
• Reason for referral
• Review of any completed developmental evaluations
Intake
After the initial phone referral, the service coordinator arranges an
appointment with the family to discuss early intervention services and
gather pertinent information about the child. A multidisciplinary evaluation
(MDE) is then arranged with the independent evaluator under contract with
CMSU. The initial MDE is used to determine the child’s eligibility
for early intervention services based on criteria established by the Commonwealth.
Eligibility
Early intervention services are available to infants and toddlers, from
birth to age three, who have a significant delay (25% of chronological
age) in one or more areas of development, or have a high probability for
developmental delays based on known physical or mental conditions. Eligibility
is based on delays in the following developmental areas:
• Physical development—child’s ability to move, see
and hear
• Language and speech development—child’s ability to
talk or express need
• Social and emotional development—child’s ability to
relate to others
• Self-help (adapted)—child’s ability to eat, dress,
and take care of themselves
• Cognitive development—child’s ability to think and
learn
If a child is not eligible for early intervention, he or she may be eligible
for follow-up tracking. Children eligible for that service are:
• under three and one half pounds in birth weight.
• cared for in neonatal intensive care unit.
• born to chemically addicted mothers.
• seriously abused or neglected.
• confirmed dangerous levels of lead poisoning.
Early intervention/preschool services for children who are three years
of age and older are the responsibility of the Department of Education.
Contact should be made with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit
at (570) 523-1155.
After Eligibility is Determined
Once a child’s eligibility for early intervention has been determined,
the service coordinator works with the family and other early intervention
team members on developing a written plan detailing family’s concerns
and priorities, strategies and ideas, and the early intervention services
and supports to be received. The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
is the foundation of family-centered early intervention services. An on-going
relationship develops between the service coordinator and the family.
The service coordinator meets regularly with the family to assess the
family’s level of satisfaction with services, monitor service outcomes
and quality, and provide information on community resources.
Funding
Early intervention services are provided to eligible children at no cost
to the family. Children who have Medical Assistance have their ACCESS
card billed for services including service coordination.