Early Intervention (Birth to age three)
The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a public program funded by New York State as well as the respective counties/municipalities and is available to children less than three years of age who have or are suspected of having a developmental delay and/or disability. To receive these services, children must be referred to the county/municipality in which they reside. Services are provided with no out-of-pocket cost to parents but Health insurance or Medicaid will be accessed for reimbursement. Eligibility for services can only be established by state approved agencies holding an active contract with the county/municipality within which the family resides. All Early Intervention services are identified in collaboration with the parent and approved by the county/municipality which arranges for providers to deliver the authorized services. When these services are delivered in a child care setting or community location that requires a fee, the parent is responsible for the costs associated with that setting or location.
The Center for Hearing and Communication is a New York State approved provider of Early Intervention Center-Based Evaluations and Services and is under contract with the following counties/municipalities: New York City, Westchester, Rockland and Orange. To refer a child into Early Intervention in:
NYC – call 311 and ask for Early Intervention Westchester – 1-914-813-5094 Orange – 1-845-291-2333 Rockland – 1-845-364-2032 NYS Growing Up Healthy Hotline – 1-800-522-5006 Keep in Mind When Working with Early Intervention
The Service Provider:
Though the Early Intervention Coordinators are responsible for finding service providers for your child, parents need to be good advocates for their child and continually assess the skills of the service provider recommended to them. Some questions to ask are:
- Does the professional have experience with young children with hearing loss?
- Does the professional have experience teaching children with hearing loss to speak using the approach the parent has chosen?
- Is the program home-based (at your house) or center-based (at a facility)?
The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
- The Early Intervention Coordinator will develop a plan for your child after the evaluation is complete.
- Plans are reviewed every six months by an Early Intervention Official Designee (EIOD)
- Parents, service coordinators and therapists should be present at the review
- The Plan (IFSP) can be opened at any time by a parent or therapist to add or amend recommendations or services. It is not necessary to wait the six-month period.
Getting Ready for School – What Happens after age three?
With early identification of hearing loss, early use of hearing aids or cochlear implants, a strong communication therapy program, and ongoing support services, at the Center, we believe that many children with hearing loss can be mainstreamed successfully in school.
After the age of three, services will typically be paid for through the Board of Education, either through The Committee on Preschool Education (for children ages three to five) or through the Committee on Special Education (for children ages five through 21).
Services vary from state to state and it is important that you check your own state’s guidelines to determine what services you and your child are eligible for. Regardless of the state, however, the Department of Education is required to provide parents with a statement of their rights regarding meeting the needs of your child.
An Individualized Education Plan or IEP will be developed to meet your child’s needs in school. Remember, there is no “can’t” when planning your child’s education plan. Throughout your child’s education, you, as the parent, will be your child’s strongest and best advocate. To learn more about your rights and for more information, see:
http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html
Choosing a school – What to look for:
There are many options today for school placement. Choosing a school can often seem like a daunting process and may require many visits to several schools. The extra effort you as the parent take in choosing a school, however, will have a positive impact on your child’s future education. Consider the following important steps:
- Go and observe the school.
- Meet with the principal.
- Get a sense if the school is welcoming to children with individual differences.
- See your child’s potential classroom.
- Meet your child’s potential teacher
- Ask the following questions:
- Does the school have experience with other children with hearing loss and if so, what kinds of support were offered?
- Does the school provide listening, speech and language therapy?
- Look at the facility and pay attention to the acoustics of the classroom. Consider:
- Is there carpeting?
- Is the school on a noisy street?
- Do the windows of your child’s classroom face out to a noisy street?
- Is the classroom structured into areas with physical barriers to reduce noise?
Some helpful hints for your child’s classroom:
After choosing a school for your child, remember that all classrooms can get noisy and that a noisy environment makes it more difficult for a child with a hearing loss to communicate effectively. The following tips are easy solutions to creating a quieter classroom:
- Use an FM system in the classroom so that your child will hear the speaker more directly.
- Use carpet remnants on the floor to absorb noise.
- Cut and place tennis balls on the bottom of chairs to reduce noise when children move chairs around the classroom.
- Use corkboards and artwork on the walls to reduce reverberation.
And finally…Some Words of Wisdom:
Helping your child who has a hearing loss to learn to use spoken language can seem like a long and arduous process. While it may not seem possible, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Patience and persistence are key elements in this process. And remember that it is important to look at your child as a child first, paying attention to all of his or her needs – not just the hearing loss. Finally, remember to take care of yourself so you can take care of your child.
