Code of Maine Rules › 05 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 071 - EDUCATION - GENERAL › Chapter 101 - MAINE UNIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION REGULATION BIRTH TO AGE TWENTY › Section 071-101-IX - INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1.
Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) for Children B-2
				[20 USC
				1436(a)(3),(b-e)]
A. Definition. A written individualized
				family service plan developed by a multidisciplinary team, including the
				parents, as required by subsection (E), including a description of the
				appropriate transition services for the infant or toddler.
B. Periodic Review. The individualized family
				service plan shall be evaluated once a year and the family shall be provided a
				review of the plan at 6-month intervals (or more often where appropriate based
				on infant or toddler and family needs).
C. Promptness after Assessment. The
				individualized family service plan shall be developed within a reasonable time
				after the assessment required is completed. With the parents' consent, early
				intervention services may commence prior to the completion of the
				assessment.
D. Content of Plan.The
				individualized family service plan shall be in writing and contain--
(1) A statement of the infant's or toddler's
				present levels of physical development, cognitive development, communication
				development, social or emotional development, and adaptive development, based
				on objective criteria;
(2) A
				statement of the family's resources, priorities, and concerns relating to
				enhancing the development of the family's infant or toddler with a
				disability;
(3) A statement of the
				measurable results or outcomes expected to be achieved for the infant or
				toddler and the family, including pre-literacy and language skills, as
				developmentally appropriate for the child, and the criteria, procedures, and
				timelines used to determine the degree to which progress toward achieving the
				results or outcomes is being made and whether modifications or revisions of the
				results or outcomes or services are necessary;
(4) A statement of specific early
				intervention services based on peer-reviewed research, to the extent
				practicable, necessary to meet the unique needs of the infant or toddler and
				the family, including the frequency, intensity, and method of delivering
				services;
(5) A statement of the
				natural environments in which early intervention services will appropriately be
				provided, including a justification of the extent, if any, to which the
				services will not be provided in a natural environment;
(6) The projected dates for initiation of
				services and the anticipated length, duration, and frequency of the
				services;
(7) The identification of
				the service coordinator from the profession most immediately relevant to the
				infant's or toddler's or family's needs (or who is otherwise qualified to carry
				out all applicable responsibilities under this part) who will be responsible
				for the implementation of the plan and coordination with other agencies and
				persons, including transition services; and
(8)
Transition from Part C
				services.
(a) The IFSP must include
				the steps and services to be taken to support the smooth transition of the
				child, in accordance with §§
												303.209, from part C services
				to-
(i) Preschool services under part B of
				the Act, to the extent that those services are appropriate;
(ii) Other appropriate services. or
(b) The steps required in
				paragraph (8)(a) of this section must include-
(i) Discussions with, and training of,
				parents, as appropriate, regarding future placements and other matters related
				to the child's transition;
(ii)
				Procedures to prepare the child for changes in service delivery, including
				steps to help the child adjust to, and function in, a new setting;
(iii) Confirmation that child find
				information about the child has been transmitted to the LEA or other relevant
				agency, in accordance with §
													303.209(b) (and
				any policy adopted by the State under §
													303.401(e))
				and, with parental consent if required under §
													303.414, transmission of
				additional information needed by the LEA to ensure continuity of services from
				the part C program to the part B program, including a copy of the most recent
				evaluation and assessments of the child and the family and most recent IFSP
				developed in accordance with §§
													303.340 through
				303.345; and
(iv) Identification of transition services
				and other activities that the IFSP Team determines are necessary to support the
				transition of the child.
E. Parental Consent. The contents of the
				individualized family service plan shall be fully explained to the parents and
				informed written consent from the parents shall be obtained prior to the
				provision of early intervention services described in such plan. If the parents
				do not provide consent with respect to a particular early intervention service,
				then only the early intervention services to which consent is obtained shall be
				provided. The Department of Education nor the regional CDS site may use the due
				process hearing procedures to challenge a parent's refusal to provide any
				consent. [34CFR
				303.420
										©] The Department of Education
				must make reasonable efforts to ensure assignment of a surrogate parent no more
				than 30 days after the Department determines that the child needs a surrogate
				parent. [34CFR
				303.422(g)]
F. Copy of IFSP. The regional CDS site will
				provide at no cost to the parent, a copy of each evaluation, assessment of the
				child, family assessment, and IFSP as soon as possible after each IFSP meeting.
				[34CFR
				303.409(c)]
G. Implementation of the plan. The early
				intervention services are to be provided as soon as possible after parental
				consent. [34CFR
				303.342(e)]