Assistive Technology Public Funding
Assistive Technology Public Funding
EARLY INTERVENTION - "EI"
What agency runs the program?
Who can get services from the program?
What kinds of AT help can the program provide?
What is the cost for AT?
How can I make a request for AT?
How can I appeal a denial of AT?
Where can I get help?
What agency runs the program?
The Rhode Island Department of Health has primary responsibility
for the Early Intervention Program. The Rhode Island Interagency
Coordinating Council advises and assists the department in
providing services.
Five regional districts have the responsibility for providing Early Intervention services:
Northern: Family Resources, Inc. in Woonsocket serves Burrillville, Cumberland, Foster, Glocester, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Scituate, Smithfield, Woonsocket.
Metropolitan: Meeting Street Center in East Providence serves Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, East Providence, Johnston, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Warren.
Central: J. Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center in Warwick serves Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Greenwich, West Warwick.
Eastern: James L. Maher Center in Newport serves Little Compton, Middletown, Newport Portsmouth, Tiverton.
Southern: Visiting Nurse Service of Washington County and Jamestown in Narragansett serves Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Narragansett, New Shoreham, North Kingston, Richmond, South Kingston, Westerly.
A parent or anyone, including a professional, such as the child's doctor may refer a child for early intervention services. Youmay make a referral and request an evaluation and a determination of your child's eligibility, by contacting the Early Intervention program which covers your town. All initial evaluation and assessment activities by a multidisciplinary team, including a meeting to develop the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), shall be completed within 45 days after your child has been referred to the program. The team's job is to evaluate your child's level of functioning in the areas of cognition, physical ability, including vision and hearing, communication, social or emotional development, and adaptive development.
Who can get
services from the program?
Any child who is less than three years old and who is experiencing
a developmental delay in one or more developmental areas or
who has certain disabling conditions is eligible for early
intervention services.
Your child's eligibility for early intervention services ends
at his or her third birthday. Before a child receiving early
intervention services turns three, the Early Intervention program
works with the family and the local school system to ensure
the child's transition into an educational setting.
What kinds of AT help can the program provide?
Early Intervention programs both coordinate and provide services.
If you and the multidisciplinary team identify the need for
AT to enhance your child's development, that AT is to be included
in the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). Other services
which may be identified in the IFSP include Audiology, Occupational
Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language, and Vision
Services.
Each child and family accepted into an early intervention program is assigned a service coordinator. The family, with the help of the service coordinator and the multidisciplinary team, decides which services will enhance a child's development. Theseservices and/or equipment are then written into an IFSP. [Two examples of the kinds of AT need which may be addressed: (1) individual amplification, including selecting, fitting, and dispensing appropriate listening, vibrotactile devices, and evaluating the effectiveness of those devices; (2) adaptation of the environment, including selection, design and fabrication of assistive and orthotic devices to facilitate development and promote acquisition of functional skills.]
What is the cost
for AT?
Early Intervention programs receive federal and state funds to
pay for basic EI services including service coordination. Your
child's early intervention program will seek reimbursement
from Medicaid and private insurance for AT and other services.
Noeligible child is to be denied service because a parent
cannot pay for a device or service.
When devices and services are not covered by Medicaid or other insurance, it is the job of the of the Department of Health in cooperation with Interagency Coordinating Council, to assure there is no delay in the delivery of service because of conflicts over responsibility for payment.
How can I
make a request for AT?
All decisions about which services are appropriate for an eligible
child, including assistive technology, are made through the
IFSP process, with the family's consent.
You have the right to be fully informed of all recommendations for service or denial of service to your child, in your native language or other mode of communication. You must give written consent to activities which are to be carried out through the IFSP. You have the right to request a service, such as AT, as well as to decline any service which is offered by the program.
How can I appeal
a denial of AT?
If you disagree with a decision made by the Early Intervention
program, you may file a complaint with the Part H Coordinator
(Early Intervention) of the Department of Health. You may use
an informal system of complaint resolution called "mediation" and/or
the more formal system of a due process hearing.
Agreeing to mediation does not limit your right to a due process
hearing. It does not extend, deny or delay the hearing timelines.
Either party in the dispute, you or the early intervention program,
may request mediation. If both sides agree to mediation, the
Part H coordinator will assign a mediator. The mediator is
an employee of the Department of Health, who is expected to
act as a neutral third party.
In addition to mediation, either you or the program may make
an initial hearing request, or reactivate a hearing request
made before mediation. In the event the request for a hearing
is reactivated, because the mediation process fails to come
to a mutually agreeable resolution within 14 days, the hearing
must be completed and the decision rendered within 30 days
of the original request for a hearing.
You may request a hearing on any matter about which you have
received a notice which advises you that the early intervention
program (a) has proposed, (b) has refused to begin or (c) has
refused to change, the identification, evaluation or provision
of services to your child.
A written request for a hearing should be filed with the Department of Health or with the administrator of your child's Early Intervention program. The Department of Health must assign a hearing officer within 10 days of the receipt of your request.
You are entitled to a hearing conducted by an impartial hearing
officer. The hearing officer must not be an employee of a public
agency involved in the care of the child or a person who has
any personal or professional interest which interfereswith
the objectivity of the hearing. The Department of Health is
responsible for the assignment of and payment for the cost of the hearing officer.
If you ask about free or low-cost legal services or other relevant services which are available in your area, or if the program requests the hearing, you must be informed about those services.
Where can I get
help?
Advocacy help:
The Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) provides
parent support and advocacy on a variety of early
intervention issues.
For information or help about early intervention issues, contact:
Independence Square
500 Prospect Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Voice (401) 727-4144, TDD (401) 727-4151
(800) 464-3399
Website: http://www.ripin.org/
E-Mail: info@ripin.org
Legal help:
The Rhode Island Disability Law Center, Inc. (formerly RIPAS) can provide free legal services if you have questions about or need help in getting an AT device or service included in your child's IFSP.
For more information or help contact:
349 Eddy Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Voice (401) 831-3150 TDD (401) 831-5335
(800) 733-5332
Website: http://www.ridlc.org/
E-mail: info@ridlc.org
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