About EI Colorado Services

• What is in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)?
  The IFSP helps the EI team (including you, the EI providers, and the service coordinator) work together to best support your child. The IFSP includes services that your child will receive through EI Colorado, as well as other services or support that your child and family may receive outside EI Colorado. 
  
  Your service coordinator will make sure that your family is connected to all of the services and support that your child needs. Community support that your family accesses, or is interested in accessing, in addition to early intervention services can be listed in the IFSP resources section, such as medical care or help from your own family and friends.
  
  EI Colorado services must start within 28 days of when you provide permission unless you request a later start date.
• How long do children participate in Early Intervention (EI) Colorado services?
  EI Colorado services last different lengths of time depending on what your child and family need.
  
  Some children will participate in EI Colorado for a short time only to address a temporary delay in development. Other children transition from EI Colorado and receive continuing support as they start school. 
   
  If your child is still eligible for EI Colorado when they turn 3, your service coordinator will support your family if you decide to transition to preschool special education services or other community programs. 
• How are services in the IFSP delivered to my family?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Early intervention services look different depending on your child’s needs and your family’s goals. Services can be provided by a variety of different specialists, including speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, assistive technology professionals, and others.
  
  Research shows that children can learn new skills the best when they are with familiar people in a familiar place. That’s why EI services usually take place in your home (in person or virtually) or another comfortable location like grandma’s house.
  
  Local EI programs are local, community-based organizations in Colorado that are responsible for delivering the EI program in their region. You can call 1.888.777.4041 for more information about Early Intervention Colorado services or find your local EI program. The link to find your local Early Intervention Program is only available in English at this time.

• Will receiving EI Colorado services impact my health insurance?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  If your family has Medicaid or private insurance, the service coordinator will talk to you about the option of using your insurance to support the costs of EI Colorado services. 
  
  For EI Colorado services you will not have co-pays, and there is no requirement that you meet a deductible before costs will be paid in full by insurance. Choosing to use your own insurance to support the costs of EI Colorado services will ensure that more families, including those without health insurance, are able to access this important resource.
  
  All families receiving EI Colorado services will be provided with a copy of  A Family Guide to the Coordinated System of Payments and A Coordinated System of Payments: Funding Hierarchy. The Family Guide to the Coordinated System of Payments and A Coordinated System of Payments: Funding Hierarchy are only available in English at this time.
• How often is the IFSP updated?
  The IFSP is reviewed at least every six months or earlier if you would like. A new IFSP is created each year and each child’s progress is reviewed on an ongoing basis. 
  
  The process of reviews every six months and full updates each year continues until it is decided that a child no longer needs EI Colorado services to continue making progress. Before your child turns 3, if they continue to be eligible for EI Colorado services, your service coordinator will work with your family to plan for the next phase. 
• State and National Resources for Families
  • Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD)
  • Autism Society of Colorado
  • Colorado Association for Infant Mental Health
  • Colorado Children's Campaign
  • Data and evaluation related to children and youth with special health care needs- Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
  • Family Voices Colorado
  • National Autism Center
  • National Center for Children in Poverty
  • PEAK Parent Center
  • Zero to Three
  • Tech for Tykes- Assistive Technology
  • Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
  • Parent to Parent
  • InfantSEE

  
  The State and National resources for families are only available in English at this time.
• Information on Medicaid and CHP+ Renewal
  The renewal process (sometimes called redetermination or RRR) for Health First Colorado and CHP+ members occurs annually. HCPF has made important improvements and continue to work with members and county partners to refine the process.
  Please use this link to learn more!
• CAPTA and Beyond Workgroup (Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act)
  The Colorado CAPTA and Beyond Workgroup - including representatives from local and state child welfare agencies, public schools, early intervention, pediatricians, families and public health agencies - have been working to better understand the issues around Colorado's developmental screening policies for children under the age of five found to have experienced child abuse and/or neglect.
  Colorado’s child welfare system requires a referral for a developmental screening for every child under age five found to have experienced child abuse and/or neglect. In Colorado, this equates to approximately 3,700 children annually. 
  For children birth to three with a founded case of child abuse and/or neglect, a referral is made to Early Intervention Colorado and a developmental evaluation is conducted in all five developmental areas. 
  Currently, there is not a clear system or organization responsible or equipped to ensure that appropriate screening and connection to relevant services and supports occurs after a referral from child welfare is made. Whenever children do not receive a developmental screening after being referred there is a missed opportunity to identify developmental delays or disabilities early in a child’s life.
  The CAPTA and Beyond workgroup has developed three briefs to identify opportunities for creating a clear pathway for developmental screening for children under the age of five.

  • Child Welfare Developmental Screening Special Brief #1: Requirements and Gaps
  • Child Welfare Developmental Screening Special Brief #2: Spotlight on Community Solutions
  • Child Welfare Developmental Screening Special #3: Recommendations for Improvement 

  As part of the CAPTA and Beyond workgroup activities, in 2024, the Public Consulting Group (PCG) was contracted to conduct an evaluation of the ‘CAPTA and Beyond Initiative’, including recommendations to promote effective referral and developmental screening for young children involved in child welfare. For children birth to age 3, this involves ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Child Abuse Referral and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C, and Colorado’s additional requirement to refer children aged 3 - 5 who are involved with child welfare to early childhood special education (IDEA Part B-619). For more information, please view the CAPTA and Beyond Report and Recommendations. 
  Additional Resources:

  • CAPTA and Beyond Frequently Asked Questions
  • 2018 CAPTA and Beyond FAQ Webinar
  • Child Welfare Guide
  • CAPTA Decision Tree Graphic