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An
Affiliate of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
What
is ECI?
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is a statewide program
for families with children, birth to three, with disabilities
and developmental delays. ECI supports families to help their
children reach their potential through developmental services.
Services are provided by a variety of local agencies and organizations
across Texas.
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What
are the benefits?
Research shows that growth and development are most rapid
in the early years of life. The earlier problems are identified,
the greater the chance of eliminating or minimizing them.
Early intervention responds to the critical needs of children
and families by:
- promoting
development and learning
- providing
support to families
- coordinating
services
- decreasing
the need for costly special program
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Who
is served?
Any child from birth to three living in the state of Texas
with a delay in development may be eligible for services.
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Is
my child eligible?
The ECI team, together with the child’s caregiver,
will provide a comprehensive evaluation/assessment to determine
eligibility. A child may qualify for services based on one
of the following 3 categories:
Developmental
Delay
Children with delays in one or more areas of development
(speech and language, cognitive, gross motor, fine motor,
social/emotional, or self-help skills)
Atypical
Development
Children who demonstrate age-appropriate skills on test
instruments, but whose patterns of development are different
from their peers (muscle tone, sensory integration, perseveration,
information processing, social responsiveness, attachment
patterns, self-targeted behaviors)
Medically
Diagnosed Condition
Children who have a medically diagnosed condition with a
high probability of developmental delay are automatically
eligible for ECI services. For a complete list of qualifying
medical diagnosis, please visit
http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/resources/diagnoses.asp
Children with auditory and/or visual impairments should
be referred for eligibility determination.
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What
is the cost?
The following services are provided at no cost to families
regardless of income:
- Evaluation/assessment
- Development
of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)
- Service
coordination
- Translation
and interpretation services, if needed
- Services
for children with auditory and visual impairments who
are eligible for services from ECI and their local school
district
- Services
for children in foster care or in conservatorship of the
state
Families
with children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, or whose income
is below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, do not pay for
any ECI services. ECI asks families who can afford to do so,
to share in the cost of services. The amount a family pays
for ECI services (cost-share) is determined using a sliding
fee scale and is based on family size and income after allowable
deductions. No child and family will be turned away because
of an inability to pay.
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What
are ECI Services?
ECI services are provided in the child’s "natural
environment" where they live, learn, and play. This
may be in the home, daycare, or community setting where
your child feels most comfortable. In this way, your child's
intervention will help him participate in everyday activities.
ECI
staff listens to a family’s concerns and works with
them to plan services. Each family will have a different
plan, according to what is needed for their child. Infants
and toddlers learn best from families and caregivers through
activities in their daily lives such as feeding, bathing
and playing. ECI services help families learn how to use
these daily activities to help their children develop skills.
Services
can include:
- Assistive
Technology: Services & Devices
- Audiology
- Developmental
Services
- Early
Identification, Screening & Assessment
- Family
Counseling
- Family
Education
- Medical
Services (diagnostic or evaluation services used to determine
eligibility)
- Nursing
Services
- Nutrition
Services
- Occupational
Therapy
- Physical
Therapy
- Psychological
Services
- Service
Coordination
- Social
Work Services
- Speech-Language
Therapy
- Vision
Services
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Who
provides the services?
ECI contracts with a variety of local agencies and organizations
to provide ECI services in their communities. These include
private non-profit organizations like BACH ECI, school districts,
education service centers and many more. ECI program staff
include, but are not limited to, service coordinators, early
intervention specialists, physical therapists, occupational
therapists, speech pathologists, social workers, registered
nurses, and registered dieticians.
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How
to refer?
Anyone can refer a child to ECI including concerned parents,
grandparents, or caregivers. A referral from a physician
is not necessary; however all primary referral sources,
by law, must refer a child under age three who may be in
need of and/or qualify for comprehensive early intervention
services. Referrals from a primary referral source must
be made within two working days of identification or suspicion
of delay, and must be made to an ECI-approved program for
evaluation and assessment of the child. Primary referral
sources include:
- hospitals,
including prenatal and postnatal care facilities
- physicians
- parents
- child
care programs
- local
education agencies
- public
health facilities
- other
social service agencies
- other
health care providers
- A
primary referral source, if other than the parents, may
make a referral directly to ECI or information may be
given to the family so they may make the referral contact
themselves.
Refer
by calling 979-849-2447 or toll free at 877-714-1766
You
may also submit referral electronically by completing online
referral document click here.
For
more information about ECI services please visit the DARS
Division for Early Childhood Intervention Services at http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/
Or call the DARS Inquires Line at 1-800-628-5115, TDD Line
1-866-581-9328.
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