480 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 1, § 007

Current through September 17, 2024

Section 480-1-007 - CHILD SCREENING PROCEDURES AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY EVALUATION TEAM (MDT) ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION

School district or approved cooperative staff must determine eligibility for early intervention services and must explain rights to families, as described in Nebraska Department of Education regulations at 92 NAC 52.

007.01SERVICES COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITY. The services coordinator must:

(A) Provide written notice and obtain consent for screening, multidisciplinary evaluation, and child assessment. If screening procedures are utilized to identify whether the child is suspected of having a disability, and the screening indicates the child is suspected of having a disability, written notice for evaluation and child assessment must be provided and written consent must be obtained by the services coordinator prior to the evaluation and child assessment being conducted;

(B) Coordinate screenings, evaluations, and assessments, and assist families to understand the screening and multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT) process and how it relates to the Early Intervention Program; and

(C) Maintain contact with the family during the screening and evaluation period and assist the multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT) as appropriate. If, at any time during the screening process, the parent requests and consents to an evaluation, the service coordinator must immediately provide written notice and obtain consent for the evaluation and child assessment from the parent and inform the district or approved cooperative accordingly.

007.02ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES COORDINATION. The family is eligible for ongoing services coordination when the multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT) evaluation supports the child's eligibility for early intervention services. A child is eligible and may be referred for services coordination through the end of the school's fiscal year, August 31, in which the child reaches age three.

007.02(A)INELIGIBILITY. When the screening or multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT) evaluation does not support eligibility for early intervention services, the child and the child's family is not eligible to receive services coordination through the Early Intervention Program.

007.02(B)SERVICES PROVIDED. The family's need and priority for services coordination is jointly determined and documented by the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) team, including the family and the services coordinator. The amount and duration of services coordination is based on the documented need, is provided in accordance with Department policy and standards, and is identified in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

007.03POST-REFERRAL TIMELINES. The screening, evaluation, and assessment of the child, family assessment, and the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting must take place within 45 calendar days of the referral.

007.03(A)EXTENDED TIMELINE. The family may extend the 45-day process at any time. In this circumstance, the Early Intervention Program must document that the family does not want to complete the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) within the required timeline. The 45-day process timeline also does not apply when the child or parent is unavailable to complete the screening, the initial evaluation, the initial assessments of the child and family, or the initial Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting due to exceptional family circumstances that are documented in the child's record; or the parent has not provided consent for the screening, the initial evaluation, or the initial assessment of the child, despite documented, repeated attempts by the services coordinator to contact the family or obtain parental consent. When the family wants to resume the process, the screening, initial evaluation, initial assessments, and the initial Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting must be completed as soon as possible after the documented exceptional family circumstances no longer exist or parental consent is obtained.

007.04DENIAL NOTICE. For children who do not qualify for early intervention services, the services coordinator must:

(A) Send the family written notice of denial or termination on the required Department form. This notice must contain:

(i) A clear statement of the action to be taken;

(ii) A clear statement of the reason for the action;

(iii) A specific policy reference which supports such action; and

(iv) A complete statement of the family's right to appeal.

(B) Service delivery ends and the case is closed.

480 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 1, § 007

Adopted effective 10/3/2021