1. (a) All early intervention services must:

   1. (1) Be provided by highly qualified EI professionals under public supervision;
   2. (2) Be developmental services selected through a team approach that includes the family;
   3. (3) Be determined according to IDEA, Part C requirements to align with the child’s developmental outcomes defined in the IFSP, the child’s and family’s typical activities, and the child’s unique interests, strengths, and needs;
   4. (4) Support a child’s ability to participate in typical daily activities with familiar caregivers and peers; and
   5. (5) Enhance the ability of the child’s adult caregivers to support child participation, early learning, and development between therapy sessions.

2. (b) All early intervention services must support children in making gains in each of the federally identified child outcomes (results) areas:

   1. (1) Children have positive social relationships;
   2. (2) Children have the ability to acquire and use knowledge and skills; and
   3. (3) Children use age-appropriate behaviors to meet their needs.

3. (c) All early intervention services must support the family in making gains in each of the federally identified family outcomes (results) areas:

   1. (1) Families know their rights under IDEA;
   2. (2) Families can communicate their child’s strengths and needs; and
   3. (3) Families know how to help their child learn and develop.
4. (d) No early intervention service may be provided prior to the development of an IFSP (interim or temporary IFSP or full IFSP) or prior to documentation of parent consent for each service listed on the IFSP on the required form in the child’s electronic record in the state-approved data system.
5. (e) Only those services documented on an interim (temporary) IFSP or full IFSP will be funded or reimbursed by First Connections.
6. (f) Early intervention services on the IFSP for which there is documentation of parent consent must begin as soon as possible but no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of parent consent, unless there is documentation of exceptional family circumstance in the child’s electronic record.

7. (g)

   1. (1) Early intervention services on the IFSP must begin as soon as possible after the resolution of an exceptional family circumstance.
   2. (2) When the delay of commencement of an evaluation or an IFSP service is due to lack of parent consent, the evaluation or service is provided as soon as parent consent is obtained.
   3. (3) Parent refusal to provide consent for a specific service does not justify a delay in the commencement of the IFSP service or services for which the parent has granted consent.
8. (h) All early intervention services are provided within typical child and family activities (natural environments) unless there is developmental justification of need and a conversion plan documented in the child’s electronic record in the state-approved data system.

9. (i)

   1. (1) Parent consent documented in the child’s electronic record in the state-approved data system is required prior to the delivery of any early intervention evaluation or service.
   2. (2) A parent may revoke parent consent at any time for any reason.
   3. (3) A parent may decline any early intervention service or any other service or activity at any time without jeopardizing any other early intervention service outlined on the IFSP for which the parent has granted consent.
   4. (4) A parent has the right to change the local provider program selected for any IFSP service at any time and for any reason and without providing a specific reason.

   5. (5)

      1. (A) A parent has the right to select a new service coordinator at any IFSP meeting or IFSP review meeting without submitting additional documentation.
      2. (B) When the parent elects to select a new service coordinator at a time other than an IFSP meeting or IFSP review when providers are selected for any IFSP service including service coordination services, a “Student Move” form must be completed.
      3. (C) The service coordinator cannot be changed during the initial forty-five-day timeline without the prior consent of First Connections.
10. (j) A parent or other parent-identified caregiver is required to attend and participate in each home or community visit (service session) as outlined in the First Connections Parent Participation Agreement.
11. (k) At each home or community visit (service session), the service provider must actively consult with and train the participating parent or other caregiver on the early intervention strategies described in the child’s IFSP in such a way that the parent or other caregiver has the knowledge and skills to support their child’s participation and early learning in daily activities between home or community visits (service sessions).

12. (l)

    1. (1) A local provider program must perform early intervention services listed on a current IFSP at the scheduled time unless:

       1. (A) There is justifiable reason, as determined in the reasonable discretion of First Connections program administration;
       2. (B) There is exceptional family circumstance; or
       3. (C) Alternative arrangements have been made with the parent in advance.
    2. (2) The local provider must document one (1) of the justifications described in Section 601(l2)(a)(i-iii) above in the child’s electronic record in the state-approved data system.
13. (m) Each home or community visit (service session) or IFSP service provided outside of a child’s natural environment must be entered into the child’s electronic record in the state-approved data system as a delivered services note within thirty (30) days of each delivered service in accordance with 20 CAR § 1002-602.

Codification Notes: "EI" means early intervention.