Help Me Grow ( formerly IEIC)

1. Help Me Grow( formerly IEIC) What’s available in the world of early intervention?

2. IEIC A school district, group of districts, or special education cooperative, in cooperation with the health and human services agencies located in the county or counties in which the district or cooperative is located, must establish an Interagency Early Intervention Committee for children with disabilities under age five and their families. (MN Statute 125A)

3. Cass Lake Help Me GrowMember Agencies • Cass County Health and Human Services • Leech Lake Health Division • Cass Lake-Bena Public School • Leech Lake Social Services • Leech Lake Head Start • Bemidji Regional Interdistrict Council • Local Early Childhood Mental Health Providers • Child Care Resource and Referral • Child Care Centers

4. Cass Lake Help Me Grow • Meet quarterly with member agency representatives • Support Child Find/Community Awareness/Outreach of Early Intervention Services • Responds to referrals • Provides a coordinated, comprehensive service plan based on a child’s needs

5. Who Can Refer? • Parents • Healthcare Providers • Childcare Providers • Teachers • Social Workers • Anyone associated with the child or family, professionally or personally

6. When to Refer? • Anytime there is a concern regarding the child's development • If the child has a diagnosis or condition with a high probability of resulting in developmental delay • Low birth weight or premature birth • Suspected hearing impairment • Suspected vision impairment • Congenital anomalies

7. How are Parents Involved? • Parents/guardians must give permission for action to be taken on the referral. • Parents/guardians are involved every step of the way. • Assessment information • Developing child’s intervention plan based on family routines and priorities • Services are voluntary on the part of the family.

8. What Services are Available? • If a child is eligible, many early intervention services are available in the community through early childhood programs, nursing services, medical services, and county human services. • These can include respite care, public health nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, early childhood special education, special equipment, family support activities and parent training.

9. How to Refer? • One call initiates a responsive, coordinated system of appropriate services for children birth through 5 years of age with special needs. • Cass Lake Early Childhood Special Education (218-335-2203 x5502) serves as the central point of intake. • Any agency can accept a referral.

10. What Happens after the Referral is Made? • Within 2 days a written referral is forwarded to appropriate agencies • Typically these include Early Childhood Special Education, Nursing Services and/or Social Services • Service Coordinator is assigned (B-3) • Follow up with referral source as requested

11. Meet with Family • Review the referral/evaluation process • Review areas of concern • Complete paperwork to initiate agency(s) involvement • Release of information to share with other agencies as needed • Provide family with printed information as needed

12. Agencies Involved • Individual agencies complete respective agency components for eligibility • Evaluation is completed and shared with family and agencies involved

13. IFSP • For eligible children, an individual family service plan (birth through age 2) or an individualized educational plan (ages 3-5) is developed • For children birth through age 2, the goal is 45 days from date of referral to plan development • Includes all agencies involved w/child • Link non-eligible children with appropriate community resources • Evaluation and services are provided at no cost to the child’s family

14. Follow Up • Determined by IFSP team • Plan is developed for 1 year and reviewed at 6 months • Plan can be modified at any time to meet child’s changing needs

15. Questions?