You and other members of the core team will gather information about your child. The process of finding out more about your child and family is called evaluation and assessment.
Through an evaluation, you and other members of the core team will find out if your child is eligible for early intervention services and will help plan for services and supports. You may also wish to talk about your hopes and dreams as a family. The information you gather will help you and others design services based on your family’s priorities, strengths and needs.
This fact sheet summarizes your rights regarding evaluation and assessment.
Evaluation & Assessment – You have the right
- To have an evaluation of your child and family that is directed by you and designed by you and other members of the core team
- To decide what information about your family you wish to share during the evaluation
- To have the evaluation conducted by qualified individuals
- To an evaluation based on information about your child’s medical history and current health, mental and physical development (including vision and hearing), communication skills, social or emotional development and adaptive skills, such as dressing and eating
- To an evaluation that includes suggestions and ideas for services and supports that would benefit your child
Your child’s first evaluation must be completed within 45 days of the time he or she is referred unless your family needs more time.
If you and others decide your child needs services before the evaluation is completed, you have the right to an interim (temporary) Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
You also have the right to an evaluation at no cost to you. With your permission, however, your health insurance carrier may be billed under the following circumstances:
- If your available life-time cap would not be affected
- If your other health insurance benefits would not decrease
- If your health insurance premiums would not increase
- If your policy would not be discontinued
- If your family would not be required to pay an out-of-pocket expense, such as a deductible
