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1. How do I know if my Child is eligible?

Children from birth to age 3 who reside in Westmoreland County and have special needs due to developmental delays or disabilities are eligible to receive Early Intervention services from the Westmoreland County Early Intervention Program. Any parent, caretaker, educator, or medical personnel who have a concern about a child’s development can request an evaluation of the child to determine eligibility for EI services.

A multi-disciplinary team of professionals will meet with the child and family to conduct the evaluation in a setting familiar to the child. All areas of development will be evaluated by the team: physical development, including vision and hearing; cognitive development; communication; social/emotional development; and adaptive development

To qualify to receive on-going services from the EI Program, the child must have:

- A 25% delay in one or more areas of development or
- Have a known physical or mental condition likely to result in a developmental delay

2. Who do I contact to start the Early Intervention process?

Contact the Westmoreland County Early Intervention Program directly thru Westmoreland Casemanagement & Supports, Inc.(724) 837-1808 or 1-(800)-353-6467

An Early Intervention Service Coordinator from Westmoreland Casemanagement & Supports, Inc. will be assigned to assist the family. The Early Intervention Service Coordinator (SC) will guide the family through the entire process.

OR

The CONNECT Helpline 1-800-692-7288 assists families in locating resources and providing information regarding child development for children ages birth to age 5. In addition, CONNECT can assist parents by making a direct link to the local Early Intervention program.

3. What types of EI Services are available?

Once the child is determined eligible for Early Intervention services, the Service Coordinator will continue to aid the family in obtaining specific services. The services provided to children and their families differ based upon the individual needs of each child and family. The types of services a child may receive are:

Speech Therapy Nutrition Services Physical therapy
· Sensory Integration Feeding Program Occupational Therapy
Hearing or Vision therapy Parent education Developmental Special Instruction ·

4. What Will the Services Cost?

Early Intervention services are provided at no cost to families. Funding is available through Medical Assistance, the Infant and Toddler, Family Waiver, and state funded Early Intervention Programs. The Service Coordinator assists family in applying for these resources.

5. Where do Children and Families receive EI services?

Early Intervention services are family-centered and provided in the child's natural environment. For example:

- The child's home
- Caregiver’s home
- Childcare centers
- Play groups
-Other community settings familiar to the family