Every child in Illinois from birth to age 3 has access to a free evaluation to determine if he or she is eligible for state-funded health care services. If the child has a developmental delay of 30% or more or has a specific medical condition, he or she may be eligible for services. Referrals for the free evaluation may be made to your local Child & Family Connections.

To determine which Child & Family Connections area you are in, please call:

Parents can self-refer or may be referred by a physician, a friend or relative, or a community organization. At any time, the family can refuse services.

If the child is determined to have a developmental delay of 30% or more or if the child has been diagnosed with one of a number of medical conditions, he or she may be eligible for the following health care services. The State of Illinois has established a fee for service system in which each family pays on a sliding scale according to their income. The scale ranges from $0 to $2,400 maximum out of pocket annually. These services include:

Assistive Technology	Audiology
Developmental Therapy	Family Training & Support
Health and Consultative Medical Services	Medical Diagnostic Services
Nursing Services	Nutrition Services
Occupational Therapy	Physical Therapy
Psychological / Counseling Services	Service Coordination
Social Work Services	Speech-Language Therapy
Transportation	Vision Services

At all times in the process, families have the following rights.

• Parents must give consent before any action is taken
• Parents are to be given prior notice in their native language or mode of communication
• Parents have the right to examine all records
• Parents have the right to confidentiality of all records
• Parents have the right to disagree with the Illinois Early Intervention System through mediation or due process
• Children have the right to a surrogate parent if no parent can be identified

If a child is determined to be eligible for Early Intervention services, they will be assigned to a Service Coordinator, who will develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) based on that family's values, strengths, and desired outcomes. Care is taken to deliver services in the child's natural environment. The family can opt for individual or group services, home-based services, clinic-based services, or other locations. The Service Coordinator will provide the family with an array of providers from which the family can choose and contact their own providers

The Service Coordinator helps the family negotiate the Early Intervention System, organizes periodic reviews and updates of the IFSP, advocates for the family, and keeps providers and Child & Family Connections up to date on family wants and needs. The Service Coordinator also helps the family prepare for the child's eventual transition into the school system, which provides services from ages 3 to 21.