Acronyms & Glossary

Annual Review: IFSP team meeting held each year to evaluate and, as appropriate, revise the child's IFSP.

Co-lead Agencies: The Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department of Education and any other agencies appointed by the Governor responsible for planning, implementation, and administration of the federal early intervention program and the Early Intervention Act.

Community Supports: Family, friends, neighbors, church programs, health care systems, specialized child care, social services, educational services, and other natural and organized supports a family needs to care for an infant or toddler with disabilities as close to home as possible.

Consent: The parent gives permission for the agency(ies) to do what they propose to do (e.g., evaluate the child, provide services, share information with another agency).

Cultural Competence: Honor and respect for the beliefs, interpersonal styles, attitudes and behaviors both of families who access early intervention services and the staff who provide them. Early intervention policy, administration and practice reflect this honor and respect.

Developmental Delay: Any of the disability classifications or conditions which qualify a child for special education and related services as described in the Special Education Act.

Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council: A body of parents, advocates, physicians and representatives from school districts, agencies, educational service units, Head Start, higher education, and the Legislature appointed by the Governor at the state level to advise and assist the collaborating agencies in carrying out the provisions of both state and federal early intervention law.

Early Intervention Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver: A Medicaid-funded program which pays for services coordination and respite care for infants and toddlers in the Early Intervention Program who have needs which qualify them for Nursing Facility level of care.

Early Intervention Program: The single point of entry to services coordination for eligible infants and toddlers as identified by each planning region team via the systems contract.

Early Intervention Services: The early intervention system contains entitled services and access to other available services designed to meet the developmental needs of each eligible infant or toddler with disabilities and the needs of the family related to enhancing the development of their infant or toddler.

Eligible Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Children two years of age or younger who are verified for special education and related services and need early intervention services. Toddlers who reach age three during the school year remain eligible through the end of the school's fiscal year.

Entitlement: Benefit(s) of a program granted by law to persons who fit within defined eligibility criteria. Entitlement through the Early Intervention Act includes services coordination and development of the individualized family service plan.

Family: Parent(s), guardian(s), and/or other persons identified by the family.

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP): A process for providing early intervention services which results in a written plan for the provision of those services. The plan is developed and implemented in accordance with 480 NAC 1-010 and 92 NAC 51-007.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C: Federal law establishing the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities.

Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MDT): A group of persons responsible for evaluating the abilities and needs of an infant or toddler to determine whether or not the infant or toddler is eligible to receive special education and related services.

Native Language: Mode of communication normally used by a child's family.

Natural Environments: Settings that are natural or normal for the child's age peers who have no disabilities.

Nebraska Department of Education Rule 51: State regulations for special education programs serving children from birth to age 21 (92 NAC 51).

Need: Shall mean the extent of services coordination necessary as based on the circumstances in each family but shall include the activities that are required to be provided in 34 CFR 303.22.

Notice: A written statement provided to the parents of an eligible child a reasonable time before a public agency or service provider proposes or refuses to initiate or change services. This includes identification, evaluation, or placement of the child or the provision of appropriate early intervention services to the child and the child's family. The statement must contain a description of the action, reasons, and an explanation of procedural safeguards.

Periodic Review: A review of the IFSP which must be conducted every six months, or more frequently if conditions warrant, or the family requests such a review.

Personally Identifiable: Information that would cause a child and his/her family to be recognized. (e.g., name, address, social security number, and characteristics that would make it possible to identify the child and/or family with reasonable certainty).

Planning Region Team: An organized group of parents, advocates and representatives from school districts, agencies, educational service units, Head Start, and other relevant agencies or persons responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of the Early Intervention Act in each local community or region.

Public Agency: Includes the lead agency and any other political subdivision of the State that is responsible for providing early intervention services to children eligible under Part C and their families.

Referral: Contact made to the Early Intervention Program from any source, with the family's consent.

Services Coordination: A flexible, individualized process of interaction facilitated by a services coordinator to assist a family of an eligible infant or toddler with disabilities within a community to identify and meet the family and child's needs through coordination of informal and formal supports. The activities carried out by a services coordinator to assist and enable an eligible child and the child's family to receive the rights, procedural safeguards, and services that are authorized to be provided under the early intervention program.

Services Coordination Contracting Agency: An agency identified in each planning region which assumes the responsibility to deliver the entitlement of services coordination in the region through a contract with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Special Education and Related Services: See Department of Education Rule 51.

Transition Plan: Documentation of follow-up activities which are to take place when a child no longer receives services through the early intervention system.