Early Intervention Setting Basics
Early Intervention Services under IDEA Part C
• Age 0-3
• At risk of delay, or having disabilities
• Offered in home, daycare, early head start, or community settings
• IDEA Part C offers grants to states for these services, under state’s lead agency
• Includes: family training, special instruction, OT, service coordination, assessments, assistive tech
• Provided by qualified personnel, in natural environments
• Services must address:
1) Physical development
2) Cognitive development
3) Communication development
4) Social/emotional development
5) Adaptive development
OT under IDEA Part C
• Designated as PRIMARY SERVICE under Part C in 2004; specifically listed in statute
• OTPs may be SERVICE COORDINATOR as well as SERVICE PROVIDER
• Part of team to build family’s capacity to care for child/promote development in natural environments where they live, work and play
***OTP can provide: Direct Service, Service Coordination, Consultation, or Education/Training
OT Process in Early Intervention
1) Evaluation (screenings, assesments, interview, collab with family /team)
2) Intervention (collab with family/team, develop IFSP, use evidence-based practice)
3) Outcomes (promote function, meet family/child’s goals and needs)
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
Plan of care for child under early intervention (when entering school at age 3). Emphasis:
• Team approach
• Family/child centered
• Natural environments (home, preschool, etc.)
• Multidisciplinary
• Collaborators review every 6 months
• Emphasize goals of child
Early Intervention: Play Time
Early Intervention: Meal Time
Early Intervention: Bath Time
Early Intervention: Social
Settings for OT in Early Intervention
School Based Practice for OT
Principles of IDEA
OT and IDEA
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Most appropriate education with non-disabled peers/regular classroom.
• May require classroom modification(s)
• Can still include time in 1:1 with OT, PT, SLP
INCLUSION: either full or part day integration as much as possible into general population
School Based Evaluation
• Multi-factored Evaluation (MFE): multidisciplinary team conducts eval to determine if child warrants special ed services
• Can be initiated by parents or school team; sometimes physician
• Can include observations, standardized tests, parent/teacher questionnaires
• Federal law mandates reeval every 3 years
• Initial questions may be:
- What are child’s present levels of performance?
- What are child’s educational needs?
- Does child need special ed/related services?
- What additions/mods are needed to meet annual goals in IEP and participate in general curriculum?
Categories of Disability under IDEA (1997)
What OT Evaluates in School Setting
Components of an IEP
IEP Team
Collaboration between: • Individuals familiar with child • Regular education teacher • Special education teacher • Local educ agency representative (LEA) • Individual to interpret eval results • Parents • Any other individuals who parents/LEA feel have knowledge/expertise about child including related services (OT)
IEP Goals
Service Delivery of OT in Schools
OT in Preschool
Main Intervention Strategies for OT in Schools
OT Service Delivery Models in Schools