2015

January

Exit Evaluation Guidance

The Department of Public Health reports federal child outcomes data for the State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) on children who receive six months or more of early intervention services. This is accomplished through a comparison in the percentage of improvement in functionality between entry and final evaluations utilizing the BDI-2…

Policy Clarification on the Disclosure of Records for Children Transferring within the Massachusetts EI System

DPH would like to provide some additional guidance on the “Policy Clarification on the Disclosure of Records for Children Transferring within the Massachusetts EI System” and guidance document sent by email on 9/19/2014 and reviewed during the October webinar…

Transition from Early Intervention to Special Education – FAQs

Prepared by the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education, Public Health, and Early Education and Care, in cooperation with participants in the Early Childhood Transition Forums, March 2014, revised and updated November 2014…

February

Policy to Practice: Follow-up with Referral Sources—What Can Be Shared?

There’s that recurring “reality check” question…The one about what, if any information can be shared back with a referral source particularly when an EI program has been unable to locate a family, complete an eligibility evaluation or when parents have declined services. Some referral sources follow-up directly with a program (vs. a parent) with inquiries about the “status” of their referral.

Two important regulatory provisions should be considered: confidentiality and child find…

April

Policy to Practice: Child Groups—Immunization Requirements and Risk

There are several communicable diseases preventable by vaccination. Massachusetts allows for exemptions based on sincere religious beliefs or if the immunization is medically contraindicated (other states allow for an exemption based on “personal/philosophical belief” – this exemption is not recognized in Massachusetts)…

Data Manager Update: New Federally Required Report

The Child Count report provides OSEP with the number of IFSP children active on a specified day of the year for all states. As part of this report states have been given the option to also report the number of IFSP children served during a 12-month period of time. This option will now become a requirement for all states. But, in addition, a race/ethnicity breakdown of these children will also be required. One of the monthly error reports sent to programs (Error Report #2: “Missing EIIS Client forms and/or eligibility data – IFSP children”) includes an error code for children whose race/ethnicity is missing. As the end of the fiscal year gets closer it will become important to make sure that all IFSP children have this information completed in EIIS. Please remember the guidelines for completing this information from families who intentionally refuse to answer these questions:…

July

Building Certificates of Inspection

EI programs will be required to submit a copy of their current Building Certificate of Inspection as part of the FY 15 Annual Report. Please be aware that if the program offers any services (i.e. toddler groups, center individual visits with the child) at the primary site without caregivers present, the Building Certificate of Inspection; 1) is specific to those rooms used for services, and specifies “Codes I – 4 Usage” (indicating children under 2 years, 9 months) and “E Usage” (children over 2 years, 9 months) or state infants and toddlers. Please keep these codes in mind if you are expanding space or moving to a new site…

Transportation Update

Effective July 1, 2015 all questions related to transportation and the PT-1 implementation should be directed to Sandra Mulcahy, Brokerage Operations Manager, at Sandy.Mulcahy@state.ma.us or 617-847-6559. Perry Fong, Ed Bailey and Gail Hill have taken advantage of the Early Retirement…

EI Monthly Webinar – Transportation FAQ – May 2015

Policy to Practice: EI Catchment Areas and Summer Services

As summer family vacation approach, we’d like to take the opportunity to review the EI Standards related to catchment areas. EI programs are responsible for providing services to infants and toddlers whose primary residence is within the catchment area…

SORI Requirement

The Early Intervention Operational Standards, Health and Safety, Staff Requirements state that Early Intervention providers comply with all state and federal requirements regarding employee background record checks. As part of the FY 15 re-procurement process, additional language regarding Sex Offender Record Checks (SORI) was included in contract requirements and is an EEC requirement for all staff providing direct care in Child Care settings…

August

Policy to Practice: Charging Fees for Copies of Records

Question: May a program charge parents a fee to copy records of a child who has been discharged from the program?

The federal regulations state that a program must “make available to parents an initial copy of the child’s early intervention record at no cost to the parents” (34 CFR 303.400(c), EIOS XIII, F.5). The fact that the child is no longer receiving EI services would not determine if a fee would be assessed. The child did receive services from the program, and if it’s still within seven years of discharge, the program still maintains the record…

Documentation of Postpartum Depression (PPD) screening

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding documentation of a Postpartum Depression (PPD) screen on a mother whose child is receiving Early Intervention (EI) services. This guidance is intended to support each Early Intervention Program (EIP) in having the necessary systems in place to ensure appropriate documentation and confidentiality of a child’s EI record.

Provisional Certification Guidance

Effective September 1, 2015 all Provisional Certification Tracking forms, for all newly hired general EI and Specialty staff working in the MA EI system, should be sent to the attention of Susan Breen. Susan will continue to process the provisional certification tracking forms for general EI and will forward specialty provider provisional certification tracking forms to the appropriate DPH staff person for processing.

September

MA BDI—2 Ordering Materials Information

Programs can use the attached order form or view products on-line. Please indicate on the order form or notify customer service that you are from the “MA Department of Health” and include the following discount code: RPCCLR25PB. You can calculate 10% from the 2015 pricing. NOTE: To order individual replacement materials from your BDI-2 kit, you must call Houghton Mifflin Harcourt customer service at 1-800-323-9540.

BDI—2 Examiner’s Manual Typo

October

Accidental/Unexpected Death of a Child

Please keep the Department informed through your Regional Specialist, of any unexpected death of a child enrolled in your program. The Department is required to submit a Critical Incident Report to the Commissioner of Public Health’s Office in the event of a sudden/unexplained death of a child enrolled in any DPH programs…

ICD—10 Update

Please see the attached Guidance for the Assignment of ICD-10 Codes from the Department of Public Health.

November

EI Background Record Check (BRC) Policy Statement

Please see the attached EEC/EI BRC Policy Statement that has been shared with the EEC Regional Staff and will be shared with local child care programs. Remember, it is DPH’s policy that EI staff and Specialty Service Providers conduct their work with children in the natural setting of the child. Many families request that EI services be delivered in their children’s early education and care programs…

December

The Growth and Nutrition Program

Massachusetts’ Growth and Nutrition Program (GNP), administered through the Nutrition Division at DPH, provides specialized nutritional, medical, and behavioral therapy to eligible children to promote proper health, growth and development. GNP services are available to children, through six years of age, who live in Massachusetts, and who are experiencing delayed or slowed growth, also referred to as Failure to Thrive…