Early ACCESS

Early ACCESS is a partnership between families with young children, birth to age three, and providers from the Departments of Education, Public Health, Human Services, the Child Health Specialty Clinics. The purpose of this program is for families and staff to work together in identifying, coordinating and providing needed services and resources that will help the family assist their infant or toddler to grow and develop.

Services

The family and providers work together to identify and address specific family concerns and priorities as they relate to the child's overall growth and development. In addition, broader family needs and concerns can be addressed by locating other supportive/resources services in the local community for the family and/or child. All services to the child are provided in the child's natural environment including the home and other community settings where children of the same age without disabilities participate.

Services required to be provided to children and families include:

Service Coordination
Screenings, evaluation and assessments
"Individualized Family Service Plan" (IFSP)
Assistive Technology
Audiology
Family Training/Counseling
Health Services
Medical evaluations to determine eligibility
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Psychology
Social Work
Special Instruction
Speech Language Therapy
Vision
Transportation

Age Requirements and Eligibility

An infant or toddler under the age of three (birth to age three) who,

has a condition or disability that is known to have a high probability of later delays if early intervention services were not provided, OR
is already experiencing a 25% delay in one or more areas of growth or development.

Costs

There are no costs to families for service coordination activities; evaluation and assessment activities to determine eligibility or identify the concerns, priorities and resources of the family; development and reviews of the Individualized Family Service Plan. The service coordinator works with the family to determine cost s and payment arrangements of other needed services. Some services may have charges or sliding fee scales or may be provided at no cost to families. Costs are determined by a variety of factors that are individualized to each child and family.

Where to Apply

To connect to the Early ACCESS system in your area, families can contact Iowa COMPASS http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/iowacompass/earlyaccess.html, Iowa's free statewide information and referral service for people with disabilities, their families, their service providers and other members of the community. Information specialists are available via telephone and e-mail, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Call toll-free:
Voice 1-800-779-2001
TTY 1-877-686-0032
E-mail: iowa-compass@uiowa.edu