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FAQs

 
What is ECI?
 
Early Children Intervention (ECI) helps babies and toddlers, birth to age 3, with disabilities or delays in their development.  ECI supports families through developmental services to help their children reach their potential.  ECI goes to families and focus on working with the child and family in their natural environment, such as at home, grandma's, or a child care center.  Services are provided by a variety of local agencies and organizations across Texas .
 
 
What are ECI services?
 
Families and professionals work as a team to develop plan appropriate services for their child and family.  Services are provided in the home and community settings.  Services can include:
 
•· Assistive Technology: Services and Devices
 
•· Audiology
 
•· Developmental Services
 
•· Early Identification, Screening, and Assessment
 
•· Family Education
 
•· Family Counseling
 
•· Medical Services (diagnostic or evaluation services used to determine eligibility)
 
•· Nursing Services
 
•· Nutrition Services
 
•· Occupational Therapy
 
•· Physical Therapy
 
•· Psychological Services
 
•· Service Coordination
 
•· Social Work Services
 
•· Speech-Language Therapy
 
•· Vision Services
 
 
How much do services cost?
 
The following services are provided at no cost regardless of income:
 
•· Evaluation/assessment
 
•· Development of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)
 
•· Service coordination
 
•· Translation and interpretation services, if needed
 
•· Services for children with auditory and visual impairments who are eligible for services from ECI and local school districts
 
•· Services for children in foster care or in conservatorship of the state
 
Families with children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, or whose income is below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, do not pay for any ECI services.  Other families pay a cost share determined by a sliding fee scale based on family size and net income after allowable deduction.
 
 
What if a child is age 3 or older?
 
Services are available for children and young adults with disability, ages 3 through 21, through your local school district.  A referral for assessment may be made by contacting the director of special education for your local school district.  The telephone number can be found on the white pages of the telephone book.
 
 
How do I find ECI?
 
ECI is here to help and can become an important resource for all families.  For more information about ECI or to refer a child, call the DARS Inquiries Line at 1-800-628-5115.