Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 101 CMR - EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Title 101 CMR 349.00 - Rates For Early Intervention Program Services › Section 349.02 - Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
As used in 101 CMR 349.00, unless the context requires
				otherwise, terms have the meanings in
				101
				CMR 349.02.
Approved Program Rates
. The rates per
				service unit approved by EOHHS. The rates of payment that have been certified
				by the Commonwealth and filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth are to be
				used for services governed by 101 CMR 349.00.
Assessment
. A comprehensive evaluation
				of the child's developmental status and family situation, involving the use of
				a normed developmental assessment tool and measuring fine and gross motor
				skills, cognitive ability, communication skills, affect and temperament,
				self-care and feeding skills, socialization, family interactions, and social
				and economic support systems available to the family. An assessment is limited
				to ten working hours per 12-month period.
Biological Risk
. The presence of a
				documented history of prenatal, perinatal, neonatal, or early developmental
				events or conditions suggestive of damage to the central nervous system or of
				later atypical development.
Center-based Individual Visit
. A
				face-to-face meeting at an Early Intervention program's site, of one client or
				one client's caregiver, or both, with professional staff member(s) for the
				purpose of furthering the client's developmental progress. Center-based
				individual visits must be provided for a scheduled period of time ranging from
				one to two hours. Center-based individual visits provided in conjunction with
				group services, however, may be provided for a period of time that is less than
				one hour.
Child Visit
. A face-to-face meeting at
				the client's home or at an approved setting outside of the center-based site,
				with the client, the client's caregiver, or both, and professional staff
				member(s) for the purpose of furthering the client's developmental progress. A
				child visit must be provided for a scheduled period of time not to exceed two
				hours.
Client Resources
. Revenue received in
				cash or in-kind from publicly assisted clients to defray all or a portion of
				the cost of program services.
Clients
. Recipients of services
				provided by an Early Intervention program.
Co-treatment
. A child visitor
				center-based individual visit that involves two professional staff members and
				the client, the client's caregiver, or both. Co-treatment sessions are billed
				on the basis of working hours and are limited to four working hours per
				session.
Community Child Group
. A face-to-face
				meeting at a community site, as defined in
				101
				CMR 349.02, facilitated or co-facilitated by
				professional staff members and designed to further the client's developmental
				progress. The meeting must include both children enrolled and not enrolled in
				Early Intervention. Community child groups will be provided for a scheduled
				period of time ranging from one to 2½ hours, not more than two times
				weekly.
Community Site
. Any location where all
				young children are welcome and typically spend time, and where services are
				provided in natural environments, as defined in federal law and regulation, in
				which children without disabilities participate. This may include, but is not
				limited to, child-care settings, playgrounds, libraries, and community
				centers.
Complete Filing
. A filing of the cost
				report, containing no major deficiencies.
Cost Report
. The document used to
				report cost and other financial and statistical data, the Uniform Financial
				Statements and Independent Auditor's Report, when required.
Early Intervention (EI) Program
. A
				program that shows evidence of having met the Early Intervention Operational
				Standards of the Department of Public Health and that provides services such as
				medical, therapeutic, educational, developmental, and social services for
				children and their families. Services are provided to children from birth
				through three years old, who are at biological, environmental, or established
				risk.
EI-only Child Group
. A face-to-face
				meeting of a group of children enrolled in Early Intervention, facilitated or
				co-facilitated by professional staff members and designed to further the
				client's developmental progress. EI-only child groups will be provided for a
				scheduled period of time ranging from one to 2U hours, not more than two times
				weekly.
Eligible Provider
. Any partnership,
				corporation, trust, or other legal entity that meets the conditions established
				for Early Intervention programs by the Department of Public Health.
Environmental Risk
. The presence of an
				environmental factor that may pose a serious threat to a child's development
				such as, but not restricted to, limited maternal and family care, inadequate
				health care, poor nutrition, limited opportunities for expression of adaptive
				behaviors, and a lack of physical and social stimulation.
EOHHS
. The Executive Office of Health
				and Human Services established under M.G.L. c. 6A.
Established Risk
. The presence of a
				developmental delay or deviation of unknown etiology, or the likelihood of a
				developmental delay or deviation due to a diagnosed medical disorder of known
				etiology.
Governmental Unit
. The Commonwealth,
				any department, agency, board, or division of the Commonwealth, and any
				political subdivision of the Commonwealth.
Parent-focused Group
. A face-to-face
				meeting of a group of clients' parents and persons filling the role of parents
				(for example, a grandparent, foster parent, or guardian, but not a day-care
				worker) with professional staff members, for the purpose of support and
				guidance. A parent-focused group must be provided for a scheduled period of
				time not to exceed two hours per session and one session per week.
Professional Staff Member
. Any
				certified Early Intervention specialist defined in M.G.L. c. 175, § 47C,
				and in the
Early Intervention Operational Standards
published
				by the Department of Public Health.
Publicly Assisted Client
. A person who
				receives program services for which a governmental unit is responsible in whole
				or in part, under a statutory program of financial assistance.
Screening
. An initial face-to-face
				meeting of a client and client's caregiver with a professional staff member to
				determine whether the client would be appropriately placed in two working
				hours.
Specialty Services
. Specialty services
				are a subgroup of Early Intervention services for children with a confirmed
				diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. These services are designed to meet
				the developmental needs of each eligible child and the needs of the family
				related to enhancing the child's development around the core characteristics of
				autism spectrum disorder, and are selected in collaboration with the family in
				conformity with an individualized family service plan. The services are
				provided by qualified personnel working in a specialty service provider
				program.
Specialty Services Provider
. A
				specialty service provider serves children with conditions like autism spectrum
				disorder, and their families, and may be either a supervisor-level clinician
				with an appropriate graduate degree or a bachelor's-level clinician with at
				least two years of supervised experience, or a bachelor's-level associate
				clinician with a preferred one year of supervised experience. These providers
				must satisfy the certification requirements of the Department of Public
				Health.
Unit
. 15 minutes of service provided
				to a client. In the case of a community child group, EI-only child group,
				and/or a parent-focused group, one unit is 15 minutes of service provided to an
				individual client. In the case of a child visit and/or a center-based
				individual visit, one unit is 15 minutes of service provided to an individual
				client, except for situations defined under cotreatment. In the case of a
				screening and/or assessment, one unit is 15 minutes of service provided by one
				professional staff member.
Working Hours
. One hour worked on a
				screening, assessment, or co-treatment session by one professional staff
				member. For example, if three professionals work together for one hour to
				complete the assessment, the assessment lasts three working hours.