Federal laws
The legal foundation that ensures your child has a right to support.
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): The federal law that ensures all children with disabilities have access to free, appropriate public education and services.
Part C Services: The specific part of IDEA that covers Early Intervention for babies and toddlers (Birth to age 3).
Part B Services: The part of IDEA that covers School-Based Services for children ages 3 to 21.
Early Intervention Team
Your child EI team may include the following professionals:
- Service Coordinator (SC)
- Your main point of contact. They help organize evaluations and manage your child’s plan.
- Primary Service Provider (PSP)
- The team member who works most closely with your family to implement the plan.
- Secondary Service Provider (SSP)
- A specialist (like an SLP or PT) who consults with the team as needed.
- Developmental Specialist
- Focuses on overall cognitive, social, and play skills.
- SLP & PT
- Speech-Language Pathologists (communication/feeding) and Physical Therapists (movement/motor skills).
- Psychologists & Social Workers
- Support for behavioral needs and family emotional well-being.
Other important terms
The “qualifying” stage. Each state has specific rules—like a percentage of delay or a specific medical diagnosis—that determine if a child is entitled to receive state-funded EI services.
The process used to determine eligibility. An Evaluation decides if your child qualifies; an Assessment identifies your child’s specific strengths and needs to create a service plan.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This is a federal law that ensures your child’s medical and health information is kept private and secure.
An evaluation that uses several different types of tests and observations from various specialists to get a “whole picture” view of your child.
The planned process of moving from Early Intervention (Part C) to a new setting, such as a preschool program (Part B) or community-based support, once your child turns three.