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Early Intervention Program

The New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP) is part of the national Early Intervention Program for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. First created by Congress in 1986 under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the EIP is administered by the New York State Department of Health through the Bureau of Early Intervention. In New York State, the Early Intervention Program is established in Article 25 of the Public Health Law and has been in effect since July 1, 1993.

To be eligible for services, children must be under 3 years of age and have a confirmed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by the State, in one or more of the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and/or adaptive.

Early Intervention Services

The Early Intervention Program offers a variety of therapeutic and support services to eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, including:

• family education and counseling, home visits, and parent support groups
• special instruction
• speech pathology and audiology
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• service coordination
• nursing services
• nutrition services
• social work services
• vision services
• assistive technology devices and services

How to Apply for Early Intervention

A municipal Early Intervention Official (EIO) designated by the chief elected official of the municipality/county administers the Early Intervention Program locally. Contact your EIO for information about your local program or to refer a child. For information about the statewide program, contact the NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Early Intervention at (518) 473-7016 or e-mail bei@health.state.ny.us.

Learn More About the Early Intervention Program

• Early Intervention Program Mission and Goals
• Early Help Makes a Difference! (This brochure lists what you can expect your child to be doing, from birth to age three.)
• The Early Intervention Program – A Parent's Guide (This booklet describes the Early Intervention Program.)
• Municipal/County Contacts for the Early Intervention Program
• State Performance Plan for the NYS Early Intervention Program FFY 2005 - 2010 - Revised (PDF, 928KB, 116pg.)
• Annual Performance Report for the NYS Early Intervention Program (PDF, 368KB, 56pg.)
• Early Intervention Program Publications (PDF, 147KB, 4pg.)