§ 2544. Screening and evaluations. 1. Each child thought to be an eligible child is entitled to a multidisciplinary evaluation, and the early intervention official shall ensure such evaluation, with parental consent.

Terms Used In N.Y. Public Health Law 2544

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • approved: as used in this title shall mean a provider who is approved by the department in accordance with department regulations and has entered into an agreement with the department for the provision of evaluations, service coordination or early intervention services. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2550
  • Coordinated standards and procedures: means standards and procedures developed by state early intervention service agencies pursuant to section twenty-five hundred fifty-one of this title. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Early intervention official: means an appropriate municipal official designated by the chief executive officer of a municipality and an appropriate designee of such official. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Early intervention services: means developmental services that:

    (a) are provided under public supervision;

    (b) are selected in collaboration with the parents;

    (c) are designed to meet a child's developmental needs in any one or more of the following areas:

    (i) physical development, including vision and hearing,

    (ii) cognitive development,

    (iii) communication development,

    (iv) social or emotional development, or

    (v) adaptive development;

    (d) meet the coordinated standards and procedures;

    (e) are provided by qualified personnel;

    (f) are provided in conformity with an IFSP;

    (g) are, to the maximum extent appropriate, provided in natural environments, including the home and community settings where children without disabilities would participate;

    (h) include, as appropriate:

    (i) family training, counseling, home visits and parent support groups,

    (ii) special instruction,

    (iii) speech pathology and audiology,

    (iv) occupational therapy,

    (v) physical therapy,

    (vi) psychological services,

    (vii) case management services, hereafter referred to as service coordination services,

    (viii) medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes, subject to reasonable prior approval requirements for exceptionally expensive services, as prescribed by the commissioner,

    (ix) early identification, screening, and assessment services,

    (x) health services necessary to enable the infant or toddler to benefit from the other early intervention services,

    (xi) nursing services,

    (xii) nutrition services,

    (xiii) social work services,

    (xiv) vision services,

    (xv) assistive technology devices and assistive technology services,

    (xvi) transportation and related costs that are necessary to enable a child and the child's family to receive early intervention services, and

    (xvii) other appropriate services approved by the commissioner. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Eligible child: means an infant or toddler from birth through age two who has a disability; provided, however, that any toddler with a disability who has been determined to be eligible for program services under § 4410 of the education law and:

    (i) who turns three years of age on or before the thirty-first day of August shall, if requested by the parent, be eligible to receive early intervention services contained in an IFSP until the first day of September of that calendar year; or

    (ii) who turns three years of age on or after the first day of September shall, if requested by the parent and if already receiving services pursuant to this title, be eligible to continue receiving such services until the second day of January of the following calendar year. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Evaluation: means a multidisciplinary professional, objective assessment conducted by appropriately qualified personnel and conducted pursuant to section twenty-five hundred forty-four of this title to determine a child's eligibility under this title. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Evaluator: means a team of two or more professionals approved pursuant to section twenty-five hundred fifty-one of this title to conduct screenings and evaluations. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • IFSP: means the individualized family service plan adopted in accordance with section twenty-five hundred forty-five of this title. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Municipality: means a county outside the city of New York or the city of New York in the case of a county contained within the city of New York. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Parent: means parent or person in parental relation to the child. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541
  • Service coordinator: means a person who:

    (a) meets the qualifications established in federal law and regulation and demonstrates knowledge and understanding of:

    (i) infants and toddlers who may be eligible for services under this title;

    (ii) principles of family-centered services;

    (iii) part H of the federal individuals with disabilities education act and its corresponding regulations;

    (iv) the nature and scope of services available under this title; and

    (v) the requirements for authorizing and paying for such services and other pertinent information;

    (b) is responsible for:

    (i) assisting eligible children and their families in gaining access to services listed on the IFSP;

    (ii) coordinating early intervention services with other services such as medical and health services provided to the child;

    (iii) coordinating the performance of evaluations and assessments;

    (iv) participating in the development, monitoring and evaluation of the IFSP;

    (v) assisting the parent in identifying available service providers;

    (vi) coordinating service delivery;

    (vii) informing the family of advocacy services;

    (viii) where appropriate, facilitating the transition of the child to other appropriate services; and

    (ix) assisting in resolving any disputes which may arise between the family and service providers, as necessary and appropriate; and

    (c) meets such other standards as are specified pursuant to section twenty-five hundred fifty-one of this title. See N.Y. Public Health Law 2541

2. (a) The parent may select an evaluator from the list of approved evaluators as described in section twenty-five hundred forty-two of this title to conduct the evaluation. The parent or evaluator shall immediately notify the early intervention official of such selection. The evaluator may begin the evaluation no sooner than four working days after such notification, unless otherwise approved by the initial service coordinator.

(b) the evaluator shall designate an individual as the principal contact for the multidisciplinary team.

(c) If, in consultation with the evaluator, the service coordinator identifies a child that is potentially eligible for programs or services offered by or under the auspices of the office for people with developmental disabilities, the service coordinator shall, with parent consent, notify the office for people with developmental disabilities' regional developmental disabilities services office of the potential eligibility of such child for said programs or services.

3. (a) To determine eligibility, an evaluator shall, with parental consent, either (i) screen a child to determine what type of evaluation, if any, is warranted, or (ii) provide a multidisciplinary evaluation. In making the determination whether to provide an evaluation, the evaluator may rely on a recommendation from a physician or other qualified person as designated by the commissioner.

(b) If, based upon the screening, a child is believed to be eligible, or if otherwise elected by the parent, the child shall, with the consent of a parent, receive a multidisciplinary evaluation. All evaluations shall be conducted in accordance with the coordinated standards and procedures and with regulations promulgated by the commissioner.

4. The evaluation of each child shall:

(a) be conducted by personnel trained to utilize appropriate methods and procedures;

(b) be based on informed clinical opinion;

(c) be made without regard to the availability of services in the municipality or who might provide such services; and

(d) with parental consent, include the following:

(i) a review of pertinent records related to the child's current health status and medical history;

(ii) an evaluation of the child's level of functioning in each of the developmental areas set forth in paragraph (c) of subdivision seven of section twenty-five hundred forty-one of this title;

(iii) an assessment of the unique needs of the child in terms of each of the developmental areas set forth in paragraph (c) of subdivision seven of section twenty-five hundred forty-one of this title, including the identification of services appropriate to meet those needs;

(iv) an evaluation of the transportation needs of the child, if any; and

(v) such other matters as the commissioner may prescribe in regulation.

5. An evaluation shall not include a reference to any specific provider of early intervention services.

6. Nothing in this section shall restrict an evaluator from utilizing, in addition to findings from his or her personal examination, other examinations, evaluations or assessments conducted for such child, including those conducted prior to the evaluation under this section, if such examinations, evaluations or assessments are consistent with the coordinated standards and procedures.

7. Following completion of the evaluation, the evaluator shall provide the parent and service coordinator with a copy of a summary of the full evaluation. To the extent practicable, the summary shall be provided in the native language of the parent. Upon request of the parent, early intervention official or service coordinator, the evaluator shall provide a copy of the full evaluation to such parent, early intervention official or service coordinator.

8. A parent who disagrees with the results of an evaluation may obtain an additional evaluation or partial evaluation at public expense to the extent authorized by federal law or regulation.

9. Upon receipt of the results of an evaluation, a service coordinator may, with parental consent, require additional diagnostic information regarding the condition of the child, provided, however, that such evaluation or assessment is not unnecessarily duplicative or invasive to the child, and provided further, that:

(a) where the evaluation has established the child's eligibility, such additional diagnostic information shall be used solely to provide additional information to the parent and service coordinator regarding the child's need for services and cannot be a basis for refuting eligibility;

(b) the service coordinator provides the parent with a written explanation of the basis for requiring additional diagnostic information;

(c) the additional diagnostic procedures are at no expense to the parent; and

(d) the evaluation is completed and a meeting to develop an IFSP is held within the time prescribed in subdivision one of section twenty-five hundred forty-five of this title.

10. (a) If the screening indicates that the infant or toddler is not an eligible child and the parent elects not to have an evaluation, or if the evaluation indicates that the infant or toddler is not an eligible child, the service coordinator shall inform the parent of other programs or services that may benefit such child, and the child's family and, with parental consent, refer such child to such programs or services.

(b) A parent may appeal a determination that a child is ineligible pursuant to the provisions of section twenty-five hundred forty-nine of this title, provided, however, that a parent may not initiate such appeal until all evaluations are completed.

11. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, where a request has been made to review an IFSP prior to the six-month interval provided in subdivision seven of section twenty-five hundred forty-five of this title for purposes of increasing frequency or duration of an approved service, including service coordination, the early intervention official may require an additional evaluation or partial evaluation at public expense by an approved evaluator other than the current provider of service, with parent consent.

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