New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Chapter 9 - EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE › Part 8 - REQUIREMENTS FOR FAMILY INFANT TODDLER EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES › Section 8.9.8.10 - CHILD IDENTIFICATION

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
A.
				Early intervention provider agencies shall collaborate with the New Mexico
				early childhood education and care department and other state, federal and
				tribal government agencies in a coordinated child find effort to locate,
				identify and evaluate all children residing in the state who may be eligible
				for early intervention services. Child find efforts shall include families and
				children in rural and in Native American communities, children whose family is
				homeless, children in foster care and wards of the state, and children born
				prematurely.
B. Early intervention
				provider agencies shall collaborate with the New Mexico early childhood
				education and care department and shall inform primary referral sources
				regarding how to make a referral when there are concerns about a child's
				development. Primary referral sources include: hospitals; prenatal and
				postnatal care facilities; physicians; public health facilities; child care and
				early learning programs, school districts; home visiting programs; homeless
				family shelters; domestic violence shelters and agencies; child protective
				services, including foster care; other social service agencies; and other
				health care providers.
C. Early
				intervention provider agencies in collaboration with the New Mexico early
				childhood education and care department shall inform parents, medical
				personnel, local education agencies and the general public of the availability
				and benefits of early intervention services. This collaboration shall include
				an ongoing public awareness campaign that is sensitive to issues related to
				accessibility, culture, language, and modes of communication.
D.
Referral and intake:
(1) Primary referral sources shall inform
				parent(s) of their intent to refer and the purpose for the referral. Primary
				referral sources should refer the child as soon as possible, but in no case
				more than seven days after the child has been identified.
(2) Parents must give permission for a
				referral of their child to the FIT program.
(3) The child must be under three years of
				age at the time of the referral.
(4) If there are less than 45 days before the
				child turns three at the time of referral, the early intervention provider
				agency will not complete an evaluation to determine eligibility and will assist
				the family with a referral to Part B preschool special education and other
				preschool programs, as appropriate and with consent of the parent(s).
(5) The early intervention provider agency
				receiving a referral shall promptly assign a family service coordinator to
				conduct an intake with the parent(s).
(6) The family service coordinator shall
				contact the parent(s) to arrange a meeting at the earliest possible time that
				is convenient for the parent(s) in order to:
(a) inform the parent(s) about early
				intervention services and the IFSP process;
(b) review the FIT family handbook;
(c) explain the family's rights and
				procedural safeguards;
(d) if in a
				county that is also served by other FIT provider, inform the parent(s) of their
				choice of provider agencies and have them sign a "freedom of choice"
				form.
(e) provide information about
				evaluation options; and with the parent's consent, arrange the comprehensive
				multidisciplinary evaluation.
(7) If the child is found eligible for FIT
				services, the family service coordinator with parental consent shall schedule
				and facilitate the initial IFSP meeting to be completed within 45 days of
				referral to the FIT program for early intervention services.
(8) Exceptions to the 45-day timeline for
				completion of the initial IFSP due to exceptional family circumstances must be
				documented in the child's early intervention record. Exceptional family
				circumstances include:
(a) The child or parent
				is unavailable to complete the screening (if applicable), the initial
				evaluation the initial assessments of the child and family, or the initial IFSP
				meeting.
(b) The parent has not
				provided consent for the screening (if applicable) the initial evaluation, or
				the initial assessment of the child despite documented repeated attempts by the
				early intervention provider.