N.Y.
Public Health Law Section 2545
Individualized family services plans (“IFSP”)
1.
If the evaluator determines that the infant or toddler is an eligible child, the early intervention official shall convene a meeting, at a time and place convenient to the parent, consisting of the parent, such official, the evaluator, the initial service coordinator and any other persons who the parent or the initial service coordinator, with the parent’s consent, invite, provided that such meeting shall be held no later than forty-five days from the date that the early intervention official was first contacted regarding the child, except under exceptional circumstances prescribed by the commissioner. The early intervention official, at or prior to the time of scheduling the meeting, shall inform the parent of the right to invite any person to the meeting.2.
The early intervention official, initial service coordinator, parent and evaluator shall develop an IFSP for an eligible child whose parents request services. The IFSP shall be in writing and shall include, but not be limited to:(a)
a statement, based on objective criteria, of the infant’s or toddler’s present levels of physical development, including vision and hearing; cognitive development; communication development; social or emotional development; and adaptive development;(b)
with parental consent, a statement of the family’s strengths, priorities and concerns that relate to enhancing the development of the infant or toddler;(c)
a statement of (i) the major outcomes expected to be achieved for the child and the family, including timelines, and(ii)
the criteria and procedures that will be used to determine whether progress toward achieving the outcomes is being made and whether modifications or revisions of the outcomes or services are necessary;(d)
a statement of specific early intervention services, including transportation and the mode thereof, necessary to meet the unique needs of the child and the family, including the frequency, intensity, location and the method of delivering services;(e)
a statement of the natural environments, including the home and community settings where children without disabilities participate, in which early intervention services shall appropriately be provided and an explanation of their appropriateness, and, where the child is in day care, a plan for qualified professionals to train the day care provider to accommodate the needs of the child, where appropriate;(f)
a statement of other services, including but not limited to medical services, that are not required under this title but that are needed by the child and the family;(g)
a statement of other public programs under which the child and family may be eligible for benefits, and a referral, where indicated;(h)
the projected dates for initiation of services and the anticipated duration of such services;(i)
the name of the service coordinator selected by the parent who will be responsible for the implementation of the IFSP and coordination with other agencies and persons;(j)
the steps to be taken supporting the potential transition of the toddler with a disability to services provided under Education Law § 4410 (Special education services and programs for preschool children with disabilities)section forty-four hundred ten of the education law or to other services, to the extent the child is thought to be eligible for such services, including:(i)
discussions with and education of parents regarding potential options and other matters related to the child’s transition;(ii)
procedures to prepare the child for changes in service delivery, including steps to help the child adjust to, and function in, a new setting; and(iii)
with parental consent, the transmission of information about the child to the committee on preschool special education, to ensure continuity of services, if appropriate, including evaluation and assessment information and copies of IFSPs.3.
In developing the IFSP, consideration shall first be given to provision of transportation by a parent of a child to early intervention services. Other modes of transportation shall be provided if the parent can demonstrate the inability to provide appropriate transportation services.4.
If the IFSP team members, including the early intervention official and the parent agree on the IFSP, the IFSP shall be deemed final and the service coordinator shall be authorized to implement the plan.5.
If the IFSP team members, including the early intervention official and the parent do not agree on an IFSP, the service coordinator shall implement the sections of the proposed IFSP that are not in dispute, and the parent shall have the due process rights set forth in § 2549 (Due process)section twenty-five hundred forty-nine of this title.6.
The contents of the IFSP shall be fully explained to the parent, and informed consent from the parent shall be obtained prior to the provision of the early intervention services therein. If the parent does not provide such consent with respect to a particular early intervention service, then only those early intervention services with respect to which consent is obtained shall be provided.7.
The IFSP shall be reviewed at six month intervals and shall be evaluated annually by the early intervention official, service coordinator, the parent and providers of services to the eligible child. Upon request of a parent, the plan may be reviewed by such persons at more frequent intervals.8.
If, at any time, the parent and the service coordinator agree, in writing, that the child has met all the goals set forth in the IFSP or is otherwise no longer in need of services pursuant to this article, the service coordinator shall certify that the child is no longer an eligible child.9.
A parent may, at any time during or after development of the IFSP, select a service coordinator who will become responsible for implementing the IFSP and who may be different from the initial service coordinator.10.
The service coordinator shall ensure that the IFSP, including any amendments thereto, is implemented in a timely manner but not later than thirty days after the projected dates for initiation of the services as set forth in the plan.
Source:
Section 2545 — Individualized family services plans ("IFSP"), https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBH/2545 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Apr. 27, 2024).
