Illinois Administrative Code › Title 89 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Part 500 - EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM › Subpart E - PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS/CLIENT RIGHTS › Appendix C - Requirements for Professional and Associate Level Early Intervention (EI) Credentialing and Enrollment to Bill

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Nothing in this Appendix C shall exempt any individual from
				  compliance with any and all State licensing requirements and/or supervisory
				  requirements pertinent to the individual's delivery of services.
EI SERVICE
QUALIFIED STAFF
Assistive Technology
Durable medical equipment and supplies; providers may
							 enroll to bill. No credential required.
Audiology, Aural Rehabilitation/Other Related
							 Services
Audiologists with a current license in the state
							 where they provide services to Illinois children may enroll to bill.
							 Audiologists are not required to obtain a credential. (Provider is
							 automatically enrolled under assistive technology and aural rehabilitation
							 categories.)
Speech/Language Pathologists with a current license
							 in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an
							 EI Specialist: Licensed Speech/Language Pathologist credential and enroll to
							 bill for aural rehabilitation services. (Provider is automatically enrolled
							 under aural rehabilitation and speech therapy categories.)
Individuals with a masters in speech-language
							 pathology who are participating in a supervised professional experience and
							 hold a temporary license in the state where they provide services to Illinois
							 children may apply for an EI Associate: Speech/Language Pathologist in
							 supervised professional experience credential. Associate services are billed
							 under the enrolled supervisor's name.
Individuals with a current Special Education degree
							 for Deaf and Hard of Hearing may apply for an EI Specialist: Developmental
							 Therapist/Hearing credential and enroll to bill for aural rehabilitation
							 services. May also provide Developmental Therapy Services. (Provider is
							 automatically enrolled under aural rehabilitation category.)
Clinical Assessment, Counseling, and Other
							 Therapeutic Services
Clinical Psychologists with a current license in the
							 state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Clinical Psychologist credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Clinical Professional Counselors with a current
							 license in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply
							 for an EI Specialist: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor credential and
							 enroll to bill.
Marriage and Family Therapists with a current license
							 in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an
							 EI Specialist: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Clinical Social Workers with a current license in the
							 state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Behavior Analysts with current national certification
							 as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst from the Behavior Analyst Certification
							 Board may apply for an EI Specialist: Behavior Analyst credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Unlicensed individuals employed by school districts
							 as School Psychologists who will only be providing services through their
							 school employment may apply for an EI Specialist: School Psychologist
							 credential.
Graduate students in clinical psychology or clinical
							 counseling who submit a letter from the graduate school verifying that they are
							 providing psychological or clinical counseling services in a supervised
							 internship setting in order to complete a comprehensive, culminating training
							 experience prior to granting of a graduate degree in psychology may apply for
							 an EI Associate: Psychology/Counseling Intern credential. Associate services
							 are billed under the enrolled supervisor's name.
Developmental Therapy
Individuals with an EI Specialist Developmental
							 Therapist credential on January 1, 2004 or who are applying for an EI
							 Specialist Developmental Therapist credential prior to January 1, 2004 must
							 have (1) a minimum of Teacher Endorsement in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or
							 Special Education or bachelors degree in ECE, Early Childhood Special
							 Education, Special Education, or human service field with one year of
							 experience working hands on with children birth to 3 with developmental
							 disabilities (Persons with a degree in a human service field must submit proof
							 of training on the use of a formal assessment tool that would allow the
							 provider to perform global evaluations/assessments.); or (2) a current license
							 in art, music, recreation, or other type of therapy, rehabilitative or
							 habilitative in nature, in the state where they provide services to Illinois
							 children may apply for credential renewal or, prior to January 1, 2004, may
							 apply for an EI Specialist Developmental Therapist credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Individuals who do not hold an EI Specialist
							 Developmental Therapist credential on January 1, 2004 must have a bachelors
							 degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special
							 Education, Special Education, Special Education: Deaf/Hard of Hearing or
							 Blind/Partially Sighted, Child Development/Family Studies, EI, Elementary
							 Education, Developmental Psychology, or Social Work; or with a bachelors degree
							 or higher and a full specialist credential in the EI Program; or a current
							 license in art, music, recreation, or other type of therapy, rehabilitative or
							 habilitative in nature, in the state where they provide services to Illinois
							 children; and can document the completion of educational experiences as
							 approved by the Department that include at least 2 semester college hours or
							 the equivalent (30 clock hours or CEU credit hours) in each of the following EI
							 core knowledge content areas: the Development of Young Children; Typical and
							 Atypical; Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities;
							 Intervention Strategies for Young Children with Special Needs; and Assessment
							 of Young Children with Special Needs; and can submit proof of training on the
							 use of a formal assessment tool that would allow the provider to perform global
							 evaluations/assessments may apply for an EI Specialist: Developmental Therapist
							 credential and enroll to bill.
Individuals who do not hold an EI Specialist
							 Developmental Therapist credential on July 1, 2013 may apply for an EI
							 Specialist Developmental Therapist credential and enroll to bill if
							 they:
(1) have a bachelors degree or higher in Early
							 Childhood, Early Childhood Special Education, Special Education, Special
							 Education: Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Blind/Partially Sighted, Child Development,
							 EI or Elementary Education, or from an EI approved college/university program
							 (i.e., a program for which the Department or its designee has determined that
							 the degree is equivalent to one of the above stated degrees); and (2) can
							 document the completion of educational experiences as approved by the
							 Department that include at least 2 semester college hours of, or the equivalent
							 (30 clock hours or CEU credit hours) in, each of the following EI core
							 knowledge content areas: the Development of Young Children, Typical and
							 Atypical; Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities;
							 Intervention Strategies for Young Children with Special Needs; and Assessment
							 of Young Children with Special Needs; and (3) can submit proof of training on
							 the use of a formal assessment tool that would allow the provider to perform
							 global evaluations and assessments.
An emergency waiver of educational requirements for
							 developmental therapists may be applied for and must be accompanied by the
							 recommendation of a regional intake entity manager documenting the need for
							 developmental therapy services in the service area. A bachelors degree or
							 higher is required. If approved, the resulting temporary credential will be
							 awarded for a maximum of 18 months. A training plan toward qualification for
							 full credential status must be submitted with the emergency waiver
							 application.
Individuals with a Special Education degree for Deaf
							 and Hard of Hearing may apply for an EI Specialist: Developmental
							 Therapist/Hearing credential and enroll to bill. They may also provide aural
							 rehabilitation services based on their qualifications and experience. (Provider
							 is automatically enrolled under aural rehabilitation category.)
Individuals with (1) a bachelors degree or higher in
							 Orientation and Mobility or (2) a Special Education degree for Blind and
							 Partially Seeing may apply for an EI Specialist: Developmental Therapist/Vision
							 credential and enroll to bill. They may provide Developmental and/or Vision
							 Therapy services related to visual functioning based on their qualifications
							 and experience. (Provider is automatically enrolled under the vision
							 category.)
Evaluation/Assessment
Individuals with a current EI Full Specialist
							 credential and who also meet all the following requirements may apply for an
							 Evaluation/Assessment credential:
Documentation of a minimum of three years (full time
							 equivalent) pediatric experience within the EI Specialist credentialed
							 discipline is required with no less than 20% of that experience (750 direct
							 service hours) related to infants and toddlers between birth and three years of
							 age or the equivalent, with a minimum of one year (full time equivalent)
							 pediatric experience within the EI Specialist credentialed discipline with no
							 less than 60% of that experience (750 direct service hours) related to infants
							 and toddlers;
Documentation of a minimum of six months pediatric
							 post degree supervision;
Demonstration of training in using and interpreting a
							 variety of approved assessment tools related to his/her discipline by
							 participating in evaluator specific training;
Agreement to work with the Service Coordinator, other
							 evaluators, and the family as an effective team member;
Agreement to participate in IFSP meetings as
							 specified in this Part;
Agreement to perform evaluation/assessments and
							 present recommendations thereon, that are consistent with DHS EI philosophy and
							 best practices, and to provide adequate justification for recommendations based
							 thereon;
Agreement to participate in routine quality assurance
							 and/or EI monitoring activities conducted by the Department or its Designee, or
							 the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs;
Agreement to comply with all applicable federal
							 and/or State laws, rules, regulations, policies, provider agreement and
							 procedure and guidelines;
Documentation of completion of the EI Systems
							 Training that includes evaluation/assessment and evaluation/assessment training
							 as required and provided by the Department in other formats.
The expiration date of an Evaluation/Assessment
							 credential will coincide with the EI Specialist discipline specific credential.
							 Renewal of the Evaluation/Assessment credential is contingent on the successful
							 renewal of the EI Specialist discipline specific credential.
Family Training and Support
Individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent
							 who are the parent or guardian of a child with special needs and are employed
							 by an entity such as an agency or hospital that provides EI services as a
							 Parent Liaison may apply for an EI Parent Liaison credential and enroll to
							 bill. Completion of Parent Liaison Training is required within 90 days after
							 being issued a temporary credential for full credential status and continued
							 enrollment.
Individuals who are bilingual or an interpreter for
							 the deaf may enroll to bill as an interpreter. Upon application for enrollment,
							 the bilingual applicant must identify the languages for which he/she is
							 applying to interpret and/or translate and document completion of EI Systems
							 Training as defined in Section
							 500.60(f)
							 and training for bilingual interpreter/translators as required and provided by
							 the Department and oral and/or written language proficiency demonstrated
							 through testing procedures as required and provided by the Department or
							 through documentation of a nationally recognized certification based upon
							 comparable proficiency testing procedures. Oral and/or written proficiency
							 testing procedures test the language skills of a written translator and oral
							 interpreter for comprehension of the source language and the extent that
							 translated and/or interpreted text/speech conveys the full meaning of the
							 source language. In addition, the proficiency testing for the written
							 translator determines if the translated text is coherent and grammar,
							 punctuation, spelling, syntax, usage and style are appropriate. By January 1,
							 2009, all enrolled bilingual interpreters must have documented completion of EI
							 approved training for bilingual interpreters/translators and oral and/or
							 written language proficiency demonstrated through testing procedures as
							 required and provided by the Department or through documentation of a
							 nationally recognized certification based upon comparable proficiency testing
							 procedures to maintain enrollment. Prior to January 1, 2009, interpreters for
							 the deaf must meet the requirements set forth in the Interpreters for the Deaf
							 Act [225 ILCS 442 ] and on or after January 1, 2009 must comply with the
							 licensure requirements set forth in the Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act
							 of 2007 [225 ILCS 443 ] or the licensure, certification or screening
							 requirements in the state where services are provided to children if not in
							 Illinois, and document completion of EI Systems Training as defined in Section
							 500.60(f).
Deaf adults who have been certified by Hearing and
							 Vision Connections as a language mentor for the deaf may enroll to bill.
							 Language mentors are not required to obtain a credential.
Health Consultation
Physicians with a current license in the state where
							 they provide services to Illinois children may enroll to bill. Physicians are
							 not required to obtain a credential.
Medical Services (Diagnostic/Evaluation Purposes
							 Only)
Physicians with a current license in the state where
							 they provide services to Illinois children may enroll to bill. Physicians are
							 not required to obtain a credential.
Individuals on the physician's service team should
							 refer to the service area appropriate to their discipline for credentialing
							 requirements.
Nursing
Registered Nurses with a current license in the state
							 where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Registered Nurse credential and enroll to bill. (Provider
							 is automatically enrolled under nutrition category.)
Nutrition
Licensed Dietitian Nutritionists with a current
							 license in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply
							 for an EI Specialist: Licensed Dietitian credential and enroll to bill.
Registered Nurses with a current license in the state
							 where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Registered Nurse credential and enroll to bill.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapists with a current license in the
							 state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Occupational Therapist credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants with a
							 current license in the state where they provide services to Illinois children
							 may apply for an EI Associate: Licensed Certified Occupational Therapy
							 Assistant credential. Associate services are billed under the enrolled
							 supervisor's name.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapists with a current license in the
							 state where they provide Part C EI service to Illinois children may apply for
							 an EI Specialist: Licensed Physical Therapist credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Physical Therapist Assistants with a current license
							 in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an
							 EI Associate: Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant credential. Associate
							 services are billed under the enrolled supervisor's name.
Service Coordination
Individuals with an EI Service Coordination
							 credential on January 1, 2003 and either (1) an EI Specialist credential of any
							 type, (2) a bachelors degree or higher in human services, behavioral science,
							 social science or health related field, (3) a current license as a Registered
							 Nurse, (4) current employment as a Service Coordinator in a Family Case
							 Management Agency, or (5) an associates degree in human services, education,
							 behavioral science, social science, or health related field plus 2 years of
							 experience working with children birth to 5 to provide intervention services or
							 service coordination in a community agency serving children and families may
							 apply for renewal of their credential.
Individuals who do not hold an EI Service
							 Coordination credential on January 1, 2003 and with a bachelors degree or
							 higher in human services, behavioral science, social science or health related
							 field or a current license as a Registered Nurse may apply for an EI Service
							 Coordination Credential and enroll as an employee of a Child and Family
							 Connections office. Additional training is required within 90 days after being
							 issued a temporary credential for full credential status and continued
							 enrollment.
Social Services
Social Workers with a current license in the state
							 where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Social Worker credential and enroll to bill.
Professional Counselors with a current license in the
							 state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an EI
							 Specialist: Licensed Professional Counselor credential and enroll to
							 bill.
Unlicensed individuals employed by school districts
							 as School Social Workers who will only be providing services through their
							 school employment may apply for an EI Specialist: School Social Worker
							 credential and enroll to bill.
Graduate students in social work who submit a letter
							 from their graduate school verifying that they are providing social work
							 services in a supervised internship setting in order to complete a
							 comprehensive, culminating training experience prior to granting of a graduate
							 degree in social work may apply for an EI Associate: Social Work Intern
							 credential. Associate services are billed under the enrolled supervisor's
							 name.
Speech Therapy
Speech/Language Pathologists with a current license
							 in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply for an
							 EI Specialist: Licensed Speech/Language Pathologist credential and enroll to
							 bill. (Provider is automatically enrolled under aural rehabilitation and speech
							 therapy categories.)
Individuals with a masters in speech-language
							 pathology who are participating in a supervised professional experience and
							 hold a temporary license in the state where they provide services to Illinois
							 children may apply for an EI Associate: Speech/Language Pathologist in
							 supervised professional experience credential. Associate services are billed
							 under the enrolled supervisor's name.
Speech/Language Pathology Assistants with a current
							 license in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may apply
							 for an EI Associate: Speech/Language Therapy Assistant credential. Associate
							 services are billed under the enrolled supervisor's name.
Transportation
Individuals with an appropriate vehicle registration
							 number, insurance and current driver's license may enroll to bill. Not required
							 to obtain a credential.
Vision
Optometrists or Opthalmologists with a current
							 license in the state where they provide services to Illinois children may
							 enroll to bill. Not required to obtain a credential.
Individuals with (1) a bachelors degree or higher in
							 Orientation and Mobility or (2) a Special Education degree for Blind and
							 Partially Seeing may apply for an EI Specialist: Developmental Therapist/Vision
							 credential and enroll to bill. They may provide Developmental and/or Vision
							 services related to visual functioning based on their qualification and
							 experience.
Other Services
Personnel who have met State approved or recognized
							 certification, licensing, registration or other comparable requirements that
							 apply to the areas in which the individuals are conducting evaluations or
							 assessments or providing EI services.