Determining Eligibility for Early Supports & Services
Eligibility for services is determined after a multi-disciplinary evaluation is completed. There are three ways a child birth-3 is eligible for services:
- The child has a developmental delay
- The child is at risk for a substantial developmental delay, or
- The child has an established condition that is likely to result in a developmental delay
A Developmental Delay means your child demonstrates a 33% delay (or greater) in one or more of the following areas:
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Communication development
- Social or emotional development
- Adaptive development
It can also mean that the child has demonstrated atypical behaviors documented by the family and qualified personnel. These behaviors include:
- extreme fearfulness or other modes of distress that do not respond to comforting by caregivers
- self-injurious behaviors or extremely aggressive behavior
- extreme apathy (lack of emotion or interest)
- unusual and persistent patterns of inconsolable crying, chronic sleep disorder, regression in functioning, absence of pleasure, absence of interest in adults and peers and inability to communicate emotional needs
- persistent failure to initiate or respond to most social situations
A child with an established condition means that a child has been diagnosed with a physical or mental condition which has a highly probability of resulting in a developmental delay, even if no delay is evident at the time of referral. This can include:
- Chromosomal abnormality/genetic disorder (ex. Down syndrome)
- An inborn error of metabolism (ex. PKU)
- Congenital malformation (ex. Hydrocephalic)
- A severe infectious disease (ex. HIV infection)
- A neurological disorder (ex. Tourette’s syndrome)
- A sensory impairment (ex. Hearing or vision impairment)
- A severe attachment disorder
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Lead poisoning
- A developmental delay secondary to severe toxic exposure (ex. drugs)
In NH, ESS provides services to a child if they are considered to be at risk for a substantial developmental delay. To be considered to be a substantial risk, the child, their parent(s) or between the parent and child, they experience 5 or more of the following conditions, events or circumstances:
Affecting the child:
- Birth weight less than 3 lbs. 5 ozs
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Gestational age less than 27 weeks or more than 44 weeks
- Asphyxia
- Nutritional problems that interfere with growth and development
- Intercranial hemorrhage drage II or grade IV
Affecting the parent:
- Parent has a developmental disability or psychiatric disorder
- Family history of lack of stable housing
- Less than the 10th grade education
- Family experiences social isolation
- Substance addiction
- Either parent is under the age of 18
- Parent/child relationship issues
- Founded child abuse or neglect
If your child is found eligible for services, the team will schedule a meeting to develop an Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP), though this may happen the day you meet to determine eligibility. If not, this meeting must take place within 45 days from the initial referral. The IFSP team will also choose a Service Coordinator who will assist you in coordinating services and visits.
How do I find out if my child qualifies for ESS?
Next Step - Developing the IFSP
