Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals | Bruce Greenstein, Secretary

EarlySteps (Infant & Toddler Early Intervention Services)

HOW TO ACCESS:
Contact the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities or call 1-866-783-5553 or

1-866-earlystep For families

ELIGIBILITY:

1. Children ages birth to three who have a developmental delay of at least 1.5 SD (standard deviations) below the mean in one area of development listed below or in one sub-area in communication or physical development:

a. cognitive development
b. physical development (vision & hearing)
    --fine motor
    --gross motor
c. communication development
    --receptive language
    --expressive language
d. social or emotional development
e. adaptive skills development (also known as self-help or daily living skills)

2. Children with a diagnosed medical condition with a high probability of resulting in developmental delay.

COVERED SERVICES:

Medicaid Covered Services

• Family Support Coordination (Service Coordination)
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Speech/Language Therapy
• Psychology
• Audiology

EarlySteps also provides the following services, not covered by Medicaid:

• Nursing Services/Health Services (Only to enable an eligible child/family to benefit from the other EarlySteps services).
• Medical Services for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only.
• Special Instruction
• Vision Services
• Assistive Technology devices and services
• Social Work 
• Counseling Services/Family Training
• Transportation
• Nutrition
• Sign language and cued language services.

COMMENTS:

All services are provided through a plan of care called the Individualized Family Service Plan.  Early Intervention is provided through EarlySteps in conformance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

CONTACT:

Brenda Sharp
(225) 342-8853