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Ongoing Service Coordinationby Carrie Zaher, MSEd., OSCIf you are the parent of a child 0-3 years old who is exhibiting developmental delays, then you may be in the process of getting your child the services they need through the Early Intervention Program. An important player in this process, who is often not recognized, is the ongoing service coordinator. The following information will let you know how the ongoing service coordinator can be beneficial for you and your child during the Early Intervention process.
The ongoing service coordinator is defined in the regulations governing the program as “the service coordinator designated in the individualized family service plan.” The IFSP developed for an eligible child must include the name of the service coordinator selected by the parent who will be responsible for the implementation of the IFSP and coordination of agencies and the persons responsible for the delivery of services contained within the IFSP.
The ongoing service coordinator is responsible for monitoring the delivery of Early Intervention services in accordance with the IFSP. Ongoing service coordinators provide parents with continuing opportunities to share information, priorities and concerns regarding their IFSP. A variety of methods are available to the ongoing service coordinator for providing such opportunities to families, as well as monitoring and coordinating the provision of services in the IFSP. These include home visits and telephone contacts with the parent, other caregivers and service providers. The ongoing service coordinator may also set up meetings with the parent and service providers to foster and support collaboration and integration of service strategies.
Selecting an ongoing service coordinator that is not the initial service coordinator may be beneficial for the family because they usually do not have the large caseload that the initial service coordinator from the county has. Most agencies, such as the Therapy Center for Children, have a staff that is qualified to take on the role of ongoing service coordinator. These personnel usually have a caseload of 10-20 clients, as opposed to the EIOD/initial service coordinator. They have more time to give families the support that they need, to answer questions and address their concerns. The ongoing service coordinator is a go-between for the family and the EIOD/initial service coordinator. If your child is receiving services through Early Intervention and you are looking for that more personal touch and attention, consider asking for an ongoing service coordinator. For more information about child development, Early Intervention and preschool services, Please call us at (631) 207-1053.
© Therapy Center for Children
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Many parents are overwhelmed during the Early
Intervention process. After they have referred
their child to the Early Intervention Official
(such as Suffolk County Division of Services for
Children with Special Needs), they are contacted
by an initial service coordinator, also known
as the Early Intervention Official Designee
(EIOD). They come to the child’s home (or other
designated meeting place) where they make sure
the parent has a copy of the Early Intervention
Program parent’s handbook, provide an overview
of the early intervention system and services,
discuss the role of the initial service coordinator
and review the parent’s rights, responsibilities
and entitlements under the program. Among other
things, the initial service coordinator reviews all
options for evaluation and screening with the
parent from the list of approved evaluators,
including location, types of evaluations performed,
and settings for evaluations. After the evaluations
have been performed and the child has been
deemed eligible for Early Intervention services,
the initial service coordinator will discuss the
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process
with the parent and shall inform the parent of
the different components of the process. One
component is the parent’s opportunity to select
an ongoing service coordinator. The ongoing
service coordinator, who may be different from
the initial service coordinator, may be selected
at the IFSP meeting or at any other time after
the formulation of the IFSP. 
The ongoing service coordinator is
responsible for facilitating the child’s
transition to preschool education services
and/or other programs and services
needed by the child and family as the
child ages out of the Early Intervention
Program, including the development of a
transition plan. 
