1. (a) Every child referred to the First Connections Family Engagement Unit at least forty-six (46) calendar days prior to their third birthday or more must receive a complete CMDE that assesses the child’s strengths and needs in all five (5) areas of development.

2. (b)

   1. (1) Parent consent must be documented in writing in the child’s electronic record prior to scheduling or conducting the CMDE or developmental evaluation.
   2. (2) If a parent refuses to grant consent for the CMDE, the referral process is on hold until the parent provides consent.
   3. (3) The service provider must document parent refusal to grant consent and must explain to the family that the results of the decision involves not moving forward with program eligibility, development, or early intervention service provision.
   4. (4) Service coordination support in identifying other appropriate programs and services for which the parent does consent to participate and making that referral or connection for the parent will be provided and the referral to early intervention will be closed.

3. (c) In addition to those evaluation requirements contained in 20 CAR § 1002-407, each CMDE must also:

   1. (1) Be conducted by a multidisciplinary team that consists of one (1) or more individuals certified in two (2) or more separate disciplines including service coordination and development therapy; and

   2. (2) Involve the administration of:

      1. (A) An age-appropriate standardized norm-referenced developmental evaluation instrument and an age-appropriate criterion-referenced developmental evaluation instrument that measures the child’s functioning in each of the five (5) developmental areas administered in the child’s natural environment by an individual licensed and First Connections certified to provide developmental therapy evaluations and services; or
      2. (B) The MEISR-COS Functional Child Assessment and a voluntary family-directed assessment of priorities, interests, concerns, and family-identified needs and goals via parent interview by an individual certified to provide service coordination services.
      3. (C) IFSP team completion of the initial Child Outcomes Summary (COS) 1-7 number rating using the state-approved tool prior to program eligibility determination, IFSP development, and selection of early intervention services necessary to reach IFSP goals and objectives.

Codification Notes: "MEISR" means Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships.