What is Early Intervention?  

Early Intervention is a unique experience for parents of children from newborn to age 3.

Early Intervention is a process; providing services, education and support to children and their families within their natural environments.  Qualifying for Early Intervention requires a few steps; first identifying the need for an evaluation – this can be based on a physician’s recommendation, a parent recommendation or from a court system.  A parent or physician may express concern regarding a child’s development in one or more of the following areas:  social/emotional, motor skills, speech/language development, cognitive development or activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating).  In Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; the governing agency that accepts such referrals is the office of Mental Health/Mental Retardation (MHMR).  Once a referral is made the program will make arrangements with you, the parent (or surrogate parent), to complete an intake form with a Service Coordinator.  The generation of this form provides the foundation of the initial concerns.  If warranted, the Service Coordinator will arrange for an independent evaluation to be completed in your home.  You will be overseeing this process and will be asked to participate as your concerns are important in this entire process.  The independent evaluator will use a standardized test to demonstrate reliability of the results.  The service coordinator and evaluator will review the results with you and will indicate if your child would benefit from Early Intervention services.  If your child does qualify for services the Service Coordinator will offer you a list of providers that are qualified to meet your child’s unique needs.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is a Unites States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. Part C of IDEA, established by Congress in 1986, requires “to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the child, early intervention services must be provided in natural environments, including the home and community settings in which children without disabilities participate.”