N.J. Admin. Code § 8:17-8.5

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 8:17-8.5 - Contents of IFSP

(a) Consistent with the terms and conditions of the health services grant funded by the Department and implemented by the SPOEs, service coordinators shall use forms developed by the Department to document IFSP services that a child and his or her family are eligible to receive.

(b) The IFSP shall contain a statement of the child's present levels of physical development (including vision, hearing, and health status), cognitive development, communication development, social and/or emotional development, and adaptive development.

(c) The statement described in (b) above shall be based on professionally objective criteria.

(d) With the agreement of the family, the IFSP shall include a statement of the family's resources, priorities and concerns related to enhancing the development of the child.

(e) The IFSP shall contain a statement of the measurable results or outcomes expected to be achieved for the child and family, including pre-literacy and language skills, as developmentally appropriate for the child, and the criteria, procedures, and timelines used to determine:

1. The degree to which progress toward achieving the results or outcomes is being made; and

2. Whether modifications or revisions of the results, outcomes, or services are necessary.

(f) The IFSP shall contain a statement of the specific early intervention services from among those listed in (g) below, the selection of which are based on peer-reviewed research, to the extent available, necessary to meet the unique needs of the child and the family to achieve the results or outcomes identified in the statement described in (e) above, including:

1. The frequency, intensity, location, and method of delivering the services;

2. The payment arrangements, if any, in accordance with family cost participation requirements provided in 8:17-9.2; and

3. A statement of the natural environments in which early intervention services shall be provided, including justification of the extent, if any, to which services will not be provided in the natural environment.

(g) Early intervention services for which a child or a child's family may be eligible include, but are not limited to:

1. Assistive technology devices;

2. Assistive technology services;

3. Audiology services;

4. Developmental intervention, referred to as "special instruction" pursuant to the implementing regulations for Part C at 34 CFR § 303.12(d)(13);

5. Family training, counseling and home visits;

6. Health services;

7. Medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes only;

8. Nursing services;

9. Nutrition services;

10. Occupational therapy;

11. Physical therapy;

12. Psychological services;

13. Service coordination;

14. Social work services;

15. Speech-language pathology services, sign language, and cued language services;

16. Transportation and related services; and

17. Vision services.

(h) As used in (f)1 above:

1. "Frequency" and "intensity" mean the number of days or sessions that a service is to be provided, the length of time the service is to be provided during each session, and whether the service is to be provided on an individual or group basis;

2. "Method" means how a service is to be provided; and

3. "Location" means the actual place or places where a service is to be provided, such as at home, childcare, a center or a hospital.

(i) To the extent appropriate, the IFSP shall address:

1. Medical, and other services that the child needs, but that are not required early intervention services as described at (g) above;

2. Identification of the funding sources to be used in paying for those services; and

3. The steps that will be taken to secure those services through public and private sources.

(j) The IFSP need not include routine medical services, such as immunizations and well-baby care.

(k) The IFSP shall contain a statement of projected dates for initiation of services pursuant to (f) above, which shall be as soon as possible after the IFSP meeting.

(l) The IFSP shall contain the name of the service coordinator who is qualified to carry out all applicable responsibilities, and who is responsible for implementation of the IFSP and coordination with other agencies and persons, including transition services as described at N.J.A.C. 8:17-11.

(m) In meeting the requirements in (l) above, the SPOE shall either:

1. Assign the same service coordinator who was appointed at the time that the child was initially referred for evaluation, as the service coordinator responsible for implementing an IFSP for the child and the child's family; or

2. Appoint a new service coordinator.

(n) The IFSP shall include the steps to be taken to support the transition of the child, upon reaching age three, to:

1. Preschool services established pursuant to Part B of IDEA, consistent with 8:17-11.1, to the extent that those services are appropriate; and/or

2. Other services that may be available, if appropriate.

(o) The steps required in (n) above shall include:

1. Discussions with, and education of, parents regarding future services and other matters related to the child's transition;

2. Procedures to prepare the child and his or her family for changes in service delivery, including steps to help the child adjust to, and function in, a new setting; and

3. With parental consent, the transmission of information about the child to the local education agency or other potential post-transition provider agency (if other than a public school), to ensure continuity of services, including evaluation and assessment information required in N.J.A.C. 8:17-6, and copies of IFSPs that have been developed and implemented.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:17-8.5