Special Needs Resource Directory

If you or your healthcare provider are concerned about your child's development, an assessment and comprehensive evaluation will be conducted to determine if your infant or toddler is eligible for early intervention services. This is done within 45 days of the referral and at no cost to the family. Each state has one agency, sometimes called the lead agency, that is in charge of the early intervention system:

• Ohio Help Me Grow provides early intervention programming. Contact your Ohio Help Me Grow county office or the Board of Developmental Disabilities in your area to see if your child is eligible. The contact number in Hamilton County is 513-794-3300.
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTAC) provides a list of state coordinators overseeing the implementation of early intervention programs.

After the initial assessment and evaluation, it may be determined that your child is eligible and in need of early intervention services. An Individualized Family Service Plan, sometimes called an IFSP, is developed with input from a multidisciplinary team including the family and healthcare providers. The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a written plan that identifies major goals and specific services necessary to meet the unique needs of the child and family. This dual focus, on both the family and the child, shows the importance of the family in supporting a young child's development. Early intervention services can include:

• Special Instruction
• Speech Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Nutrition
• Transportation
• Social Work
• Family Education
• Vision Services
• Assistive Technology
• Health Services
• Nursing Services
• Audiology
• Psychological Services
• Diagnostic Medical Services

Early intervention services may be delivered in a variety of settings, such as the child's home, public or private agencies, a community provider, a clinic, daycare, hospital or local health department. To the maximum extent appropriate, services are provided in natural environments. Natural environments are where the child lives, learns and plays.

In Ohio, early intervention services are free. Some states may have a sliding-scale fee for services. Contact your state coordinator overseeing the implementation of early intervention programs to check on your state's policies. However, services cannot be denied to a child just because the family is not able to pay for them.

A plan must be developed to ensure a smooth transition from early intervention services to preschool services at age 3. Your family, staff from the early intervention program and your local school district must meet at least 90 days or up to 6 months before your child is eligible for preschool services. In Ohio, this process usually begins 6 months before your child turns 3 years of age. Your school district is required to attend the transition meeting, however, 120 days prior to your child's third birthday.

Your local school district will conduct a comprehensive evaluation to see if your child qualifies for preschool special education services. A child who was eligible for early intervention may not continue to qualify for preschool services, depending on the nature and severity of the disability and the educational needs.

Find additional information about special education services for children ages 3 through 21, guaranteed through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

• Aaron W. Perlman Center for Children, at Cincinnati Children's, provides therapy-based and community supports for children with physical disabilities in order to achieve independence and inclusion. Services include early intervention, assistive technology, day treatment and service coordination.
• Head Start of Hamilton County early childhood development program offers children, ages 3 to 5, and their families access to educational opportunities as well as services to meet their health, nutritional and social needs. Head Start's comprehensive program is funded through grants from the federal and state government and is targeted primarily to children from families with limited resources.
• Ohio Help Me Grow provides early intervention programming. Contact your Ohio Help Me Grow county office or the Board of Developmental Disabilities in your area to see if your child is eligible. The contact number in Hamilton County is 513-794-3300.
• Disability Rights Ohio has information and resources on the early intervention process.

• Kentucky First Steps oversees early intervention services for children from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or a particular medical condition that is known to cause a developmental delay. Contact information for each district is provided.
• Kentucky Head Start Association

• Indiana First Steps provides early intervention for families who have infants and toddlers with developmental delays or who show signs of being at risk to have certain delays in the future. Contact information is provided for all Indiana First Steps locations.
• Noble provides early intervention, service coordination, parent networking, school-to-work and vocational programs, life skills training, adult day activities, respite, education, and support to families in Central Indiana.

• Center for Parent Information and Resources, part of the Department of Education, has comprehensive resources on early intervention, special education, disabilities, IDEA, Section 504, mental health, family supports and parent rights.
• My Child Without Limits has information on developmental disabilities, supports and resources.
• Red Treehouse, a program of Ohio Family and Children First and the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, has links to information and organizations in Ohio.
• Special Education Guide has detailed information on the early intervention process.