Course Catalog

This course is the official training approved and sponsored by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention.  Service coordination is a vital component of the Early Intervention Program (EIP). Service coordinators have the responsibility of providing children and their families with necessary information, guidance and support, beginning at referral to the EIP and continuing throughout the time they participate in the program. Along with a thorough working knowledge of the EIP, service coordinators must possess the skills necessary to work in a partnership with families and other professionals to ensure children and families participating in the EIP receive needed information, supports and services. In recognition of this, the New York State Department of Health Early Intervention Provider Agreement requires all providers of service coordination in the EIP to successfully complete this State sponsored training course within 4 weeks after Department approval. Service coordinators shall participate in the introductory service coordination training session sponsored or approved by the Department of Health within four weeks following direct or contractual employment as an early intervention service coordinator or Department approval, whichever is earlier, and such training shall be completed, documented and submitted prior to furnishing services. This ISC training curriculum contains current and necessary information for service coordinators to assist them in performing the required service coordination activities in the EIP.  By the end of this course, participants will be able to: > Identify and describe the responsibilities of initial and ongoing service coordinators. > Apply regulatory requirements to their work as initial/ongoing service coordinators. > Accurately communicate information about the Early Intervention Program to families. Participants who successfully complete this course will earn four professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outline in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. ​Additionally, 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (4 contact hours/ 0.4 credits).

The transition process, moving from Early Intervention Program services to preschool special education programs or other community services, is an essential component of every child's IFSP. Transition planning helps to ensure that the process is successful. It is important that both parents and professionals understand the requirements for transition and the services that are available for children. This training reviews all of the steps of the transition process. By the end of this course, participants will be able to: > Describe and explain the components of the transition process for both children who are and who are not eligible for preschool special education programs and services. > Apply the information about the transition process to real-life settings. > Describe and explain the procedural safeguards afforded to parents in the transition process. Participants who successfully complete this course will earn two professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. ​Additionally, 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (2 contact hours/ 0.2 credits).

Participants in this course will learn about the regulatory requirements of New York State Public Health Law and the use of public insurance (Medicaid and Child Health Plus) and funds from the Covered Lives Pool for reimbursement of services delivered to children in the NYS Early Intervention program (EIP). This course will cover: > The roles and responsibilities of initial and ongoing service coordinators regarding insurance discussions with families > Collection of insurance information from families > Documentation of the child's insurance information in the State data system and the child's record ​Participants will also become familiar with the Insurance Tool Kit for Service Coordinators. Participants who successfully complete this course will earn two professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (2 contact hours/ 0.2 credits).

This course is the official training approved and sponsored by the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention. This programmatic training course is designed to provide early intervention providers with the information they need to perform screenings, multidisciplinary evaluations (MDEs), and make Early Intervention Program (EIP) eligibility determinations in compliance with federal and State laws and regulations. It is not intended to be a clinical training and does not replace professional development or continuing education training required by the New York State Education Department. All qualified professionals have an obligation to understand and adhere to the laws, rules, and regulations that apply to their profession. By the end of this course, participants will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: > Steps in the process from referral to eligibility determination for the EIP > Roles and responsibilities of each MDE team member > Required components of the MDE including, but not limited to: - Developmental assessment tools - Determining initial eligibility for the EIP - Reporting results of a screening and/or MDE Participants who successfully complete this course will earn 3 professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (3 contact hours/ 0.3 credits). NOTE: Completion of this course fulfills both regulatory requirement and the requirement in the New York State Department of Health Provider Agreement (XII, EI Model Specific Responsibilities, B. Evaluations and Screenings, B5) "Provider shall ensure that they and, if applicable, their employees who provide Evaluation & Screening services complete continuing professional and clinical education relevant to early intervention services, and in-service training sponsored by the Department regarding evaluation and eligibility, within six (6) months of becoming an employee of the Agency Provider or within six (6) months of the start date of the Agreement, whichever is later."

The focus of this training is on the Social and Emotional Development Needs of Infants and Toddlers, and is designed for all early intervention professionals working with children and families in the Early Intervention Program. In 2017, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Early Intervention issued the Guidance Document entitled Meeting the Social-Emotional Development Needs of Infants and Toddlers Guidance for Early Intervention Program Providers and Other Early Childhood Professionals. This Guidance Document was developed to inform Early Intervention providers of strategies they can build upon, to strengthen positive relationships with children and their families, share empowering information, join with parents to promote and strengthen all areas of their child's development, including the social-emotional domain, and provide linkages, supports and services when indicated. The five modules in this training series are designed to describe the NYS DOH Social-Emotional Guidance Document, provide a brief overview of its content, and provide specific instructions for Early Intervention professionals working in the Early Intervention Program to address social-emotional development for the children and families they serve. Participants who successfully complete this course will earn 4 professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureua of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (4 contact hours/ 0.4 credits). The Department would like to thank the Early Intervention Coordinating Council's (EICC's) Workgroup on Social Emotional Development, for their assistance in developing this training.

This training focuses on the importance of maintaining accurate and complete records for the children and families served in the Early Intervention Program (EIP). Records must be maintained in accordance with federal and State laws and regulations to support billing and claiming, for continuity of care, to monitor progress toward Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcomes, and for audit purposes, among others. Additionally, providers are subject to the various rules and professional practices required by their certification or license and by payors, including Medicaid. The target audience for the Early Intervention Program Records course includes early intervention providers, service coordinators, municipalities, and other interested early intervention stakeholders. The primary objective of the training is to assist participants in gaining the knowledge and skills they need to create, manage, and maintain all EI Program records effectively. Upon completion of the course, participants will demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas: > laws and regulations that govern the documentation, retention, and retrieval of child records in the EIP, and > documentation and recordkeeping requirements as stated in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement and in EIP regulations. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive 3 professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. ​ Additionally, 0.3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (3 contact hours/ 0.3 credits).

The focus of this training is on the importance of the steps related to the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). These steps begin at the time of initial referral to the Early Intervention Program (EIP) and continue through the process of developing an IFSP that meets the specific needs of the child and family, takes into account the family’s concerns, priorities and resources, and meets all EIP regulatory requirements. The modules in this course will cover: > Roles and regulatory responsibilities of IFSP team members in the IFSP process > Regulatory requirements pertaining to the IFSP process > The process of preparation, development, and implementation of an IFSP > How the IFSP must accurately reflect the child’s individual strengths and needs > How the IFSP reflects meaningful outcomes (goals), considering the family’s resources, priorities, and concerns for their child’s development Participants who successfully complete this course will earn (4) professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (4 contact hours/ 0.4 credits).

This course will provide participants with the knowledge and tools they need to establish a partnership with each family with whom they work, and to ensure an equitable and family-centered experience, which assists and empowers families to actively participate in all aspects of the Early Intervention Program (EIP). Additionally, this course will provide federal and State resources to support early intervention service coordinators and providers in making appropriate referrals (both within and outside of the EIP) for the families with whom they work, as needed. The modules in this course will cover: > Concepts around Family and Key Definitions within the EIP > Family-Centered Practices > Family-Directed Assessment > Family-Professional Partnerships > Strategies for Communicating with Families and Developing Cultural and Linguistic Competence > Talking with Parents about a Concern > Parents’ Rights in the EIP > Transitions and Connecting Families to Supports, Services and Resources Participants who successfully complete this course will earn three (3) professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (3 contact hours/ 0.3 credits).

This course will provide participants with the knowledge and resources they need to explain the family-directed assessment to the families with whom they work to encourage family participation. Early intervention providers with the responsibility to conduct family-directed assessments as part of the multidisciplinary evaluation will gain knowledge regarding the tools and strategies they can use to collect/gather information for the family-directed assessment. Additionally, this course will provide federal and State resources to support early intervention service coordinators and providers in making appropriate referrals (both within and outside of the EIP) for the families with whom they work, as needed. Participants will gain knowledge of the family-directed assessment as a component of the multidisciplinary evaluation (MDE) and the regulatory requirements and responsibilities involved. The purpose of the course is to: > Provide clarification of the roles EIP approved evaluators, service coordinators, and parents have as part of the family-directed assessment > Explain what the family-directed assessment is and how to encourage families to participate in the family-directed assessment > Identify the process of gathering information for the family-directed assessment > Review procedures for assessments and evaluations > Identify how to develop family-centered Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcomes using information gathered from the family-directed assessment Participants who successfully complete this course will earn 4 professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements, as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (4 contact hours/0.4 credits).

The focus of this training is on the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process. The Child Outcomes Summary Process is required by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which oversees the State’s implementation of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). All counties in NYS participate in the Child Outcomes Summary Process, therefore, all EIP municipal staff and providers must understand this process. The first portion of the course is an adaptation of a training developed by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) and the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy). The second portion of the course provides valuable information on the Child Outcomes Summary Process specific to New York State. By the end of this course, participants will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: > The three Child Outcomes > Why Child Outcomes data are collected > The key features of a quality COS process > When to complete the COS process > How the 7-point scale is related to age-expected functioning and the specific criteria associated with each of the 7-points on the COS rating scale > How to use the decision tree, a tool to help distinguish between the ratings > How to determine ratings for children with special circumstances > Effective COS teaming practices > The features of effective COS documentation > How to select COS ratings at exit > How to answer the COS “progress question” Participants who successfully complete this course will earn 4 professional development hours, which can be used one time only towards the annual professional development requirements as outlined in the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Provider Agreement. Additionally, 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded with full completion of this course (4 contact hours/0.4 credits).