Early Intervention Program Services

child sitting on bed next to mother

Early intervention services are required to begin within 30 days of signing the IFSP.

EI services are to be provided in the child’s natural environment. This means the places where your child is most likely to spend much of their time and where other young children without a disability or delay also are likely to spend time. Natural environments could be your home, childcare, library, a relative’s home, or other places where your family typically spends time. Natural environments allow you and your EI provider to use your daily routines to teach new skills or behaviors to your child. If these activities can fit into your child’s daily routines, you and other caregivers are more likely to do them often with your child while your EI provider is not with you.

You may also receive help from a parent liaison: a parent of a child who has already received Illinois Early Intervention Program services. As someone who has been in your shoes, this individual supports you by listening or answering your questions.

Early intervention services may include:

  • Assistive technology
  • Audiology/aural rehabilitation
  • Developmental therapy/special
    instruction
  • Family training and support
  • Health consultation
  • Interpretation and translation
    into other languages
  • Medical services (only for diagnostic
    or evaluation purposes)
  • Nursing
  • Nutrition
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Psychological/counseling services
  • Service coordination
  • Sign language or cued language
  • Social work
  • Speech-language pathology
  • Transportation
  • Vision

Services recommended are based on the amount of support needed to help your family meet the outcomes/goals you developed during the IFSP meeting. The delivery of these services should meet your child’s and family’s preferences, learning styles, and cultural beliefs.

Definitions of EI services can be found on the definitions page.

How services are provided

You and your team will discuss how EI services can be provided. Options include:

  • In-person visits: EI services are provided with the parent or caregiver and an EI provider working together, physically present in the same location, within a home or community setting. This has been the traditional way to provide EI services.
  • Live video visits: EI services are provided over the Internet on a computer or tablet (e.g., iPad), which allows your family to work with a provider in real time.
  • Phone consultation: EI services are provided by an EI provider in real time on the phone but without video. This is only a temporary way to receive services.
  • Hybrid: EI services are provided by a combination of in-person visits, live video visits, and phone consultations. This gives families the flexibility to respond to child/household health concerns and other family priorities that may cause EI visits to be canceled.
  • Most services can be effectively provided through live video visits with providers observing parent-child interactions and providing feedback about the interactions. Your provider may model an activity or part of a routine and ask you to observe. You will then be invited to try the strategy or activity with your child.

Who provides services

Services are provided by qualified personnel including:

  • Special educators (developmental therapists)
  • Speech/language pathologists and audiologists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Physical therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Social workers
  • Nurses
  • Nutritionists
  • Family therapists
  • Orientation and mobility specialists
  • Pediatricians and other physicians
  • Optometrists

When your child turns 3

Upon reaching his or her third birthday, your child no longer will be eligible for Illinois Early Intervention Program services. For this reason, your service coordinator will begin to help you with transition planning at least 6 months in advance. Some children who are in Early Intervention (EI) may be eligible to extend EI services past the child’s third birthday.

A common transition is moving from the Illinois Early Intervention Program to a program for 3- to 5-year-old children, such as a preschool, Head Start program, Preschool for All classroom, or an early childhood program offered by your school district.

Next Step: IFSP Review

See also: