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Resources
For Children
(from birth up to third birthday)
with
Developmental Delays
in
Delaware County
Introduction
This booklet is prepared to help families who are facing
challenges pertaining to their child’s growth and
development. Regardless of what your concern is - or how
big or small it may be - we are here to help!
We in Delaware County are committed to offering support in
a family-centered approach that is easily accessible,
culturally sensitive, and foster independence and selfsufficiency. Thankfully, there are many ways to address
childhood developmental delays and behaviors and there are
many resources for support in Delaware County.
We hope that this booklet can provide some guidance and
help in understanding the system of early intervention and
the supports that are available to you and your child in this
community.
Whether your child has a challenging behavior, a disability
or developmental issue, childhood is short - it should be
savored and enjoyed.
Members of the Early Childhood Coordination Committee
Family and Children First Council
7991 Columbus Pike
Lewis Center, OH 43035
www.fcfcdelawarecounty.org
Printing costs generously donated by
Friends for Life Fund
at the Delaware General Health District
Important
Phone Numbers
Table of Contents
Parent Rights
Getting Started ...Intake and Referral
Is my Child eligible for Early Intervention Services?
Evaluation and Assessment
Service Coordination/Coordinators
Individualized Family Service Plan
Board of Developmental Disabilities
Early Intervention Specialist (EIS)
Therapy
Picking a Provider (RFP)
Waivers
Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps
Delaware County Family Support Programs
Central Ohio Family Support Programs
Transition
Child Checks
Important Events
Important Phone Numbers
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PARENT RIGHTS
For Parents with children
from birth up to child’s third birthday
The right to accept or decline some or all services
from Help Me Grow program
The right to be informed of your rights
The right to provide informed written consent before
any information about your child or family is shared
between service providers
The right to provide informed written consent before
services begin
The right to have your records kept private and
confidential
The right to review and make changes to records
about your child and family at any time
The right to request, be present at and take part in
meetings about your child and family
The right to make a formal complaint about services
for your child
The right to know to whom to make a written
complaint and receive an answer to that
complaint within 30 days
The right to have your family's priorities and
concerns addressed
The right to have a designated staff member to
support and facilitate your services
The right to guide the Individualized Family Service
Plan (IFSP)
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For Parent Rights go to: www.ohiohelpmegrow.org
Important Events
Delaware County Help Me Grow
Getting Started...Intake and Referral
The Delaware County Help Me Grow Intake and Referral is
located at the Delaware County Board of Developmental
Disabilities. To learn about services please call:
740-201-3575
What happens when you call …
You will be asked to provide information about
your concerns regarding your child’s
development.
After talking about your concerns, our Intake
Coordinator will schedule an evaluation/
assessment with the Evaluation Team.
If your child has a qualifying medical diagnosis,
an assessment for program planning will be
scheduled.
If your child does not have a qualifying medical
diagnosis, then a developmental evaluation will
be scheduled to determine if your child qualifies
for Help Me Grow.
Our Central Intake and Referral Coordinator will give you
more information about the process and what to expect.
What Happens Next….
Your child will receive a developmental evaluation to
determine eligibility for Help Me Grow and an
assessment for program planning.
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Also see: Eligibility and Evaluation/Assessment
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Is my Child eligible for
Early Intervention Services ?
For children who are NOT involved in Help Me Grow
Child Checks
(also known as Part C Services)
Eligibility for Part C Early Intervention services in the Help
Me Grow Program includes:
Newborns, infants and toddlers who are experiencing a
developmental delay in one or more of the following
areas:
a. Cognitive development
b. Physical development, including vision and hearing
c. Communication development
d. Social-emotional development
e. Adaptive development (Self Help Skills)
OR
Newborns, infants and toddlers who have a diagnosed
physical or mental condition as having a high probability
of resulting in a developmental delay identified by your
child’s physician or identified by the Ohio Department
of Health.
Financial eligibility is not a requirement for
Early Intervention (Part C) eligibility.
What Happens Next….
If your child meets the above criteria for Early Intervention
services, a Help Me Grow Service Coordinator will contact
you and an evaluation/assessment for program planning will be
completed to determine if your child qualifies for specialized
services.
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Go to www.ohiohelpmegrow.org for further information
Child Checks are designed to help parents identify areas of
developmental strengths and concerns for their child.
This is a free service that screens children 3 years or older
for vision, speech, language, motor development and health
history.
If services are recommended after the screening, those can be
arranged for through your local school district. The services
available will be specific to your local school.
If a Child Check screening is not available in your local
school district your child can participate at any other
location. There is a Child Check screening offered once a
month somewhere in Delaware County.
For further information or to schedule an appointment call
Central Ohio Education Service Center at 614-542-4106.
Continue to ask questions, seek help and educate
yourself on resources and programs that directly
relate to your child's disability and needs.
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Transition
Preparation for transition from Help Me Grow/Early
Intervention will occur prior to a child’s 3rd birthday.
Preparation for Transition
At least 180 days prior to a child’s 3rd birthday, the HMG
Service Coordinator will inform parents of their right
to invite attendees to a Transition Planning
Conference (TPC).
At least 90 days prior to a child’s 3rd birthday, the HMG
Service Coordinator will get permission to release
information to the local school district and work with
the families and local school district to schedule a
transition planning conference. HMG will send a
formal invitation to all potential attendees as well as
sending information regarding the student to the local
school district (IFSP, release, assessments, progress
reports, etc.)
A transition planning conference will be held at least 90
days prior to the child’s 3rd birthday (or upon
enrollment if the child was referred to HMG 46-90
days before their 3rd birthday). During the transition
planning conference the attendees will review the
child’s most current information and determine if the
child is suspected of having a disability that would
confer Part B eligibility. If the child is suspected of
having a disability, the local school district will start
the referral process for an evaluation. If the child is
not suspected of having a disability under Part B, the
LEA will send the parents Prior Written Notice
indicating why a disability is not suspected.
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Evaluation and Assessment
Your child will receive a free developmental evaluation to
determine eligibility for Help Me Grow and an assessment
for program planning.
To determine eligibility because of a suspected
developmental delay, an evaluation by two
qualified, licensed personnel must be completed in
the following five domains: cognitive, physical,
communication, social-emotional and adaptive.
We use the Battelle II Evaluation in Delaware
County.
Vision, hearing, and nutrition screenings will be
completed.
If your child has a medical diagnosis that makes
them eligible for Early Intervention, then an
assessment for program planning will be
completed. We use the HELP (Hawaii Early
Learning Profile) Assessment Tool.
A Family Routines Questionnaire will be
completed with you to learn about your priorities
and concerns for your child and for your family.
After your child’s Evaluation/Assessment is
completed and services are recommended, your
Service Coordinator will review your evaluation
with you, assist you in writing your IFSP
(Individualized Family Service Plan) and will tell
you about resources in Delaware County that will
help you and your child.
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Delaware County Help Me Grow Program
Service Coordination
Service Coordinators work in partnership with families,
supporting and recognizing them as the decision makers
for their child.
The Service Coordinator is responsible for the following:
Assuring that you have been informed of your “Parent
Rights”.
Assuring that an evaluation in all five developmental
domains, an assessment for program planning, and a
family assessment are completed, with your consent.
Assuring that hearing/vision/nutrition screenings are
Completed, with your consent.
Facilitating and participating in the development,
implementation, review and monitoring of your family
plan for services. This plan is called the Individualized
Family Service Plan (IFSP).
Identifying and providing choices of specialized
services and other providers.
Informing families of the availability of family support
services.
Coordinating and monitoring the delivery of services.
Coordinating transition to other programs and services.
Central Ohio
Family Support Programs
Other family support programs and resources available in
Central Ohio for the parents and families of children with
disabilities include:
Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio – offers
age-specific support groups for parents of children with
Down Syndrome. www.dsaco.net
Nationwide Children’s Hospital – provides parent
education for a variety of disabilities.
www.nationwidechildrens.org
4P Support Group- provides support for families
involved with 4th Chromosome conditions.
www.4p-supportgroup.org
CHADD of Columbus– provides programs for anyone
whose life is impacted by ADHD www.chadd.org
CP Parent Columbus– provides programs for families
involved with cerebral palsy.
www.cpparentcolumbus.org
Central Ohio Breath of Support– provides programs
for mothers of children with complex medical needs
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/
groupCentralOhioBreathofSupport
COBIDA– provides programs for parents of dyslexic
students www.cobida.org or www.interdys.org
Information on other Specialized Support Group Programs
in central Ohio (Disruptive Behaviors, Eosinophil
Associated Disorders, Prader-Willi, Stuttering and other
Special Needs) can be found at
www.dcbdd.org/Training & Resources/Support Groups for Parents
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Also see Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
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Delaware County
Family Support Programs
Family support programs in Delaware County provide
assistance and support to families in navigating the multiple
systems involved with early intervention. There are a variety
of family support opportunities for families in Delaware
County. These opportunities include:
Personal Family Support - A Family Support Specialist
is available to offer personal support to families in the
Help Me Grow program and to provide families with
information on programs and resources available for their
children with special needs.
Down Syndrome Playgroup - Available for families of
children (birth - 9 years of age) with Down syndrome.
Autism Support Group - Available for families of
young children with Autism or behaviors consistent with
that diagnosis.
Parent Pages Newsletter - The newsletter is distributed
each month to all families in the Delaware County early
intervention programs.
Transition Workshops - These workshops provide
families with information on your child’s eligibility to
transition to school age programs.
Individualized Family Service Plan
Your Individualized Family Service Plan, also known as
your IFSP, identifies resources to assist you in meeting your
child and your family’s goals.
Your IFSP is a written plan that lists outcomes and goals
for your child and your family.
Your IFSP is written with input from you, about your
child and family’s strengths and needs, the evaluation
team, your Service Coordinator, and any service
providers working with your family.
Your IFSP will list the services that will be provided to
assist you in meeting your outcomes.
Your Service Coordinator will set up a time to write your
initial IFSP and then continue to review your IFSP every
180 days.
If your needs change, before your 180 day review, your
Service Coordinator can assist you in changing your
IFSP outcomes and services, with your consent.
Contact the Delaware County Help Me Grow Program for
more information concerning Family Support Programs and
to be connected with the Family Support Specialist.
After your initial IFSP is written, your Service Coordinator
will set up a time to review your IFSP every 180 days.
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Also see: Early Intervention Specialist
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Delaware County
Alternative Funding Resources
Board of Developmental Disabilities
Bureau for Children with Medical
Handicaps (BCMH)
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
(DCBDD) is an agency that serves eligible Delaware County
individuals from birth through adult with special needs
BCMH links families of children with special health care
needs to a network of quality providers and helps families
obtain payment for the services their child needs.
Services provided by DCBDD include:
Early Intervention: from birth up to child’s third
birthday
Family Support: from 3 years of age up to a
child’s eighth birthday
Transition Support: 8 years of age through High
School graduation
Adult Support: after High School graduation
Waiver Programs:
* Level One
* Individual Options (I.O.)
* SELF (Self Empowered Life Funding)
* Transition
An Early Intervention Specialist (from birth up to child’s
third birthday) or a Support Administrator (from 3 years
of age up to adult) can be assigned to work with
eligible individuals and their families.
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BCMH serves individuals under the age of 21, who are
residents of Ohio and are seeing or will be seeing a
BCMH approved physician.
BCMH diagnostic program pays for services to rule out a
medical problem or connect to specialized services for a
plan of treatment.
BCMH treatment program pays for services related to a
chronic medical issue determined by a BCMH physician.
BCMH is the payer of last resort after insurance and
Medicaid.
BCMH may be able to pay for co-pays and deductibles.
Contact your Help Me Grow Service Coordinator
or your local Health Department to find out
more information.
In Delaware County your local Health Department is
Delaware General Health District
at
740-203-2040
Also see: Service Coordination
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Alternative Funding Resources
Waivers
Waivers are alternative funding sources with specific
eligibility requirements that provide a Medicaid card and
access to services.
Contact your Early Intervention Specialist (EIS) at
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
(DCBDD) for information concerning different types of
Waivers and your child’s eligibility.
Your Early Intervention Specialist (EIS) will explain
Waiver options and services.
Services provided through Waivers may include:
Therapy
Respite Care
Adaptive Equipment
Other Services (depending on your child’s need and
eligibility)
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Early Intervention Specialist (EIS)
Early Intervention Specialist (EIS):
Is assigned to be the single point of contact for a
DCBDD eligible child (from birth up to child’s
third birthday) and family.
Preauthorizes and monitors services, provided
through the DCBDD, based on child’s needs (e.g.
therapy, community classes, respite, etc.)
Communicates with families during home visits
to provide information, strategies, and support in
child’s everyday routines and activities
Provides on-going assessment of child’s
development
Once assigned, the Early Intervention Specialist (EIS)
will meet with the family
and the Help Me Grow Service Coordinator
to identify strategies to meet the child’s needs.
.
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Also see: Service Coordination
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Therapy
Picking a Provider
Types of therapy may include:
Speech Therapy – helps child with understanding and
speaking
Occupational Therapy – helps child with using small
muscle motor skills, eating, or how to process
information through the senses.
Physical Therapy – helps child with large muscle body
movements such as rolling, sitting, crawling, walking,
changing positions
Music Therapy
Other Therapy – nutrition, behavior, etc.
Families are free to choose a provider (speech therapist,
physical therapist, etc.) based on their eligible child’s
needs, family schedule and available funding.
Options for funding therapy include:
Medical Insurance
Medicaid
Medicaid Waiver
Delaware County Board of Developmental
Disabilities (if eligible)
Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps
(BCMH)
Private Pay
Some funding options may require families
to meet certain eligibility criteria.
Eligibility may or may not be based on income.
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Also see: Picking a Provider
Families may give permission to request a provider
through the Delaware County Board of Developmental
Disabilities’ Request for Provider (RFP) process. Your
Early Intervention Specialist will help you through this
process.
Families may choose a provider through the Delaware
County Board of Developmental Disabilities Provider
Book available on www.dcbdd.org, Your Early
Intervention Specialist will help you through this
process.
Families may choose a community provider using private
pay, insurance, Medicaid, Bureau of Children with
Medical Handicaps (BCMH) or the Early Intervention
System of Payment (EISOP). Your Help Me Grow
Service Coordinator will help you through this process.
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Also see: Eligibility, Waivers