Checklist for Performing Early Intervention Evaluations

Early Intervention Evaluations are for the purpose of determining the child’s level of functioning in all developmental domains. This information then informs the eligibility determination for the child. Local Programs conduct the initial evaluation for a child in certain situations.

These are:

1. The local program has an agreement with their Administrative Unit (AU) to complete all or a portion of initial early intervention evaluations.

2. The local program conducts evaluations in order to meet the 45 day timeline, when turned back by the AU.

The following steps address the requirements for conducting early intervention evaluations.

Step 1: Determine Evaluator Roles & Responsibilities

• Convene a Multidisciplinary Team

  • There must be a least two providers of different disciplines

  • One discipline must be in the primary area of concern

• Ensure the evaluation team understands that they are responsible to evaluate each area of development

  • All five areas (adaptive, cognitive, communication, social and emotional and physical) need to be evaluated.

• Confirm the evaluation team has access to appropriate evaluation tool(s)

• Assure that hearing and vision screening requirements are met

  • If concerns are present, recommend the family follow-up with their pediatrician. Refer to Guidance on Hearing & Vision Screening During COVID-19 for Children Served Under the IDEA

Step 2: Provider Responsibilities at the Evaluation

• Score evaluation tool used

• Share and document what has been observed during the evaluation

  • Briefly summarize the strengths, challenges, and next steps in each developmental domain

  • Discuss results with both the family and the service coordinator

  • Record information directly on the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Evaluation and Assessment pages.

  • Document percentage of delay and the range of the child’s skills in each domain.

  • Include sufficient narrative information about what was observed during the evaluation to support the range of delay or lack of delay in each area.

• Answer any questions the family has regarding the evaluation results or their child’s skills

  • If the service coordinator is not present, providers may not discuss eligibility or services with families. Only the child’s skills should be discussed.

• Sign the IFSP Evaluation Participation page

Step 3: Determination of Eligibility

• The service coordinator determines whether appropriate evaluation procedures were followed and if the evaluation results meet the criteria for a significant delay

  • Significant Delay is a 33% delay or more in one or more areas of development

  • Informed Opinion of Delay means that the quality of skills or use of skills presents a significant concern to the evaluation team and the team has determined jointly that the child is showing a greater than 33% delay which was not represented in the testing results

Step 4: Billing Requirements for 45 Day Evaluations

• 45 day evaluations are billed as a Transaction EI: Evaluation/45

  • For information on creating transactions, please reference the Early Intervention Data System User Guide.