Kidsei - KidsKare's Early Intervention Program

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Child Success Stories

We of course can talk about our own success at great lengths. Nothing speaks louder for us and the tremendous success rate our EI services have achieved better than the many happy parents whose c
hildren we have worked with.

Crisis in the Home
A married woman was eight months pregnant when she lost her father, only one year after losing her mother. She gave birth to two premature twin boys, and both children required surgical repairs for birth defects. Within several months, Dad, Mom, and their older son were beside themselves with the constant screaming both day and night due to the babies’ colic. As the twins grew, and the months dragged on, no amount of coddling or medication seemed to calm them. At 23 months of age, the colic had gone away, but the boys were still screaming for the majority of their waking hours. They began banging their heads against the floor and walls. The entire family was “set on edge,” as there was a constant feeling of tension in the home.

At this point, the pediatrician recommended having the twins examined by a pediatric neurologist to rule out conditions related to self-abusive behaviors in infants. The consultation cleared them of any serious problem. The neurologist felt that the children were very frustrated at not being able to communicate, and recommended a speech therapist to evaluate the two children’s language ability.

The KidsKare staff called the Mom to welcome her family, and to explain the Early Intervention process. Caring and professional therapists evaluated the twins and found that both boys qualified for Early Intervention services. Copies of the evaluation reports were mailed to the family, and an evaluator was called to review the reports with the parents and answer any questions.

Early intervention services began, and after only two months of treatment for each child, the screaming dramatically went away, as the twins learned the basics of verbally communicating their needs. The KidsKare speech therapist told the parents that twins often have language delays, and that this was especially common in boys. While from a medical point of view, there was nothing wrong with the boys, early intervention is based upon an educational model, which justified their receiving services to help their language and frustration.

Early Intervention changed the entire dynamics of the home from constant crying, tension, and frustration, into a situation where the toddlers could smile, quiet down, and begin to communicate their needs.

KidsKare's Early Intervention Program is funded and regulated by the New York State Department of Health; in New York City, by the New York City Department of Mental Health and Mental Hygiene. In NYC, call 3-1-1 to refer a child to Early Intervention or the Totline telephone number at: (800) 577-2229. All authorized services, including service coordination, evaluations and therapy, may be provided at no cost to parents, regardless of insurance coverage; in Orange County, by the Orange County Department of Health; in Westchester County, by the Westchester County Department of Health; in Suffolk County, by the Suffolk County Department of Health; in Nassau County, by the Nassau County Department of Health. In Nassau County, any services provided are based on the child’s needs as determined by the County Early Intervention Program; an early intervention official will determine the location and provider of any needed services. The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program administered by the New York State Department of Health, and in Nassau County, by the Nassau County Department of Health. In Nassau County, all children under age three years who may need Early Intervention Services must be referred to the Early Intervention Program directly at: 516-571-3749 to refer a child to an Early Intervention Official. For elsewhere in NY State, you may call the Growing Up Healthy 24-Hour Hotline 1-800-522-5006. All information and forms provided on this website are proprietary, and reside under strict copyright protection, and may not be copied or used in any manner without the expressed written permission of KidsKare, LLC. The EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM and early intervention services available through the Early Intervention Program are for children less than three years of age who have or are suspected of having a developmental delay and/or disability. The EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM is a public program funded by New York State and county governments. All children must be referred to the municipality to access EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM services, including the municipal agency’s telephone number. KidsKare is approved as a provider of EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM services and under contract with the aforementioned municipalities to deliver EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM services. All services provided under the EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM are provided at no out-of-pocket cost to parents, but that health insurance may be accessed for reimbursement for early intervention services provided to eligible children and their families. Eligibility for the EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM can be determined only by State-approved evaluators under contract with the municipality. If a child is found eligible for the EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM, all needed early intervention services are identified in collaboration with the parent and must be authorized by the municipality. The municipality will arrange for service providers, considering the individual needs of the child and family, to deliver services authorized by the municipality. When early intervention services are delivered in child care settings or community locations that require a fee, the parent is responsible for paying any associated costs with such access to child care or community locations. Eligibility for the EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM can be determined only through a multidisciplinary evaluation conducted by a State-approved EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM evaluator under contract with the municipality, and that such evaluation must be obtained through a referral to the appropriate municipal agency responsible for local administration of the NYS EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM; if the parent objects to referral of the child to such municipal agency, the provider is obligated to maintain written documentation of the parent’s objection to the referral and actions taken to follow-up with the parent, provide the parent with the name and telephone number of the early intervention official, and within two months, follow- up with the parent and if appropriate, refer the child unless the parent objects, the municipality is responsible for arranging for delivery of services listed in an IFSP with an appropriate provider, in accordance with the individualized needs of the child and family. Selection of an evaluator to conduct the multidisciplinary evaluation of the potentially eligible child after the child has been referred to the municipality. KidsKare does not in any way engage in the following: request by the child’s parent(s) to the municipality for the provider to deliver EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM services to the child and family; a request by the family’s service coordinator, evaluator, or other EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM provider to the municipality for the provider to deliver EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM services to the child and family; payment, performance evaluations, or other awards or benefits for employees or subcontractors of State-approved EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM providers (i.e., payments or bonuses by an agency for its employees or subcontractors that are based on the number of referrals and/or services received).