Although the priority for service provision is that of children below the age of three, the Division provides diagnostic and therapeutic interventions beyond that age. The goal is to serve a greater number of eligible children, reduce waiting lists for children to receive evaluations and services, and offer a full complement of services using family-centered approaches in natural environments. An active program of early intervention and preschool services for children who are hearing impaired or visually impaired is a cornerstone of early intervention. Currently, a major goal is to identify infants who are hearing impaired and implement service provision by six months of age as best practice dictates. This priority is a result of recent enactment of universal newborn hearing screening legislation.
Goals focus on student safety and increased learning.
The Division also provides a dotted line reporting authority to the twelve schools within the Division of Mental Health institutions for policy oversight. Last year the Division served 30,777 children and families through these programs.