(a) Developmental justification of need may be developed by the direct service provider responsible for providing the IFSP service most closely related to unmet IFSP goals and, or, or both objectives with the support and assistance of the full IFSP team only when all of the following criteria have been met:

1. (1) The child has not made progress towards mastery of objectives for at least two (2) child-participation goals on a current IFSP;
2. (2) The service directly associated with the unmet IFSP goals and objectives has been provided for an IFSP review period of six (6) months in the child’s natural environment; and
3. (3) A parent or other parent-identified caregiver has been present and participating with the direct service provider in delivered service sessions.

(c)

1. (1) When the criteria in subdivisions (a)(1) – (3) of this section have been met, the IFSP team, which includes the family and anyone the family wants to include, will convene to use a team approach to support the direct service provider in developing the developmental justification of need and the required conversion plan for documentation in the child’s electronic record.
2. (2) This meeting must meet all IFSP meeting requirements.

(d) The developmental justification of need documented in the child’s electronic record must include a description of:

1. (1) Modifications made by the IFSP team in an IFSP review meeting to the child’s IFSP goals and objectives to more closely align them with the child’s interests, abilities, routines, typical activities and why those modifications failed to support the child’s progress toward mastery of objectives linked to unmet IFSP goals;

2. (2) Modifications to IFSP service provision in the natural environment to include:

   1. (A) Adjusting the child and, or, or both family activity or activities (routines) in which early intervention is provided and, or, or both adjusting the day, time, and location of service sessions and a description of why these modifications failed to support the child in making progress toward IFSP goals and objectives;
   2. (B) Modifying the intervention strategies and techniques used in home and community visits (delivered services sessions) within typical activities in the child’s natural environment and a description of why the modified approaches failed to support the child in making progress towards IFSP goals and objectives; and
   3. (C) Modifying the approach used by the direct service provider to coach, train, or consult with the parent or other caregiver who is present and participating in home and community visits (delivered services sessions) to improve the caregiver’s ability to implement strategies to support the child’s participation, skill development, and learning and a description of why these modifications failed to support the child’s adult caregivers in having the tools to support their child’s participation, learning, and sessions;
3. (3) Documentation that the modifications and adjustments described in subdivisions (d)(2)(A) – (C) progress in achieving the action steps or objectives to reach at least two (2) goals on the IFSP directly related to that service;
4. (4) A conversion plan is documented in the child’s electronic record at the time the IFSP service will be provided outside of the child’s natural environment;
5. (5) The conversion plan is developed using a team approach in an IFSP meeting (that includes the family and anyone the family wants to invite and, or, or both include);
6. (6) The conversion plan developed with the family outlines the process for moving the IFSP service (and the child) back to a natural environment within an IFSP review period (not to exceed six (6) months);

7. (7) The conversion plan must list:

   1. (A) Specific steps or activities needed to transition the child and IFSP service back to a natural environment;
   2. (B) Timeline for each step and, or, or both activity; and
   3. (C) Individuals involved;

8. (8)

   1. (A) An IFSP service cannot be provided outside of the child’s natural environment for more than six (6) months.
   2. (B) All steps on the conversion plan must ensure the smooth transition of the child’s IFSP service back to the natural environment within this six-month timeframe.