2015 Early Intervention (EI) Colorado
State Plan Policies and Procedures: An
Update for EI Providers
October 2, 2015
Early Intervention Colorado
Program Overview
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Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is
the Lead Agency for the Part C of IDEA grant and
the statewide EI system
EI Colorado program is housed in the CDHS Office
of Early Childhood, Division of Community and
Family Support
EI Colorado contracts with the 20 Community
Centered Boards (CCBs) to provide EI services
statewide
Program Overview
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EI Colorado Team Structure
General
Supervision and
Data
Program
Initiatives
Fiscal
Accountability
Program Overview
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Early Intervention Colorado Program
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General Supervision and Data
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Christy Scott, Manager
Ashley Ness, Data Specialist
Fiscal Accountability
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Ardith Ferguson, Director
Beth Cole, Manager
Program Initiatives
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Lenita Hartman, Manager
Laura Merrill, Training and Personnel Development Coordinator,
Wayla Murrow, Technical Assistance and Outreach Coordinator
Tracy Sperry, Program Assistant
FY 2014-15 Data
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Referred – 12,897 (final count)
Evaluated – 9,192 and 80% eligible (? Is this
correct?)
Unduplicated Count – 13,316
Average Monthly Enrolled Count – 7,340
Total Budget $48,167,964*
* State
General Fund, federal Part C grant, Medicaid, Early Intervention Services Trust and local funds
EI Colorado State Plan
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Policies and Procedures Page at www.eicolorado.org
Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 2509-10,
Sections 7.900-994 at sos.state.co.us
Fiscal Management and Accountability Procedures
(FMAP) at www.eicolorado.org Policies, Fiscal
Management
Medicaid Billing Manual
Future EI Rules and Part C Grant
Timelines
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Revised EI Rules
1st Board Hearing
April 2016
Application, Budget &
Revised Policies &
Procedures public
review
January 20 – March
20, 2016
State Systemic
Improvement Plan (SSIP)
Phase II: Implementation
and Evaluation Plan
September 2015 –
February 2016
Revised EI Rules 2nd
Board Hearing
May 2016
Public Comment and
Hearings
February 19 – March
20, 2016
Application due to
Office of Special
Education Programs
April 21, 2016
Public Engagement
January – February
2016
SSIP Phase II due to
Office of Special
Education Programs
April 1, 2016
Effective
July 1, 2016
Policies and Procedures
Effective
July 1, 2016
Implementation
Effective
July 1, 2016
EI Colorado State Plan
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Overall template is:
 Title of subsection
 Federal and State authority reference
 Rule number
 Rule language
 Procedure(s), if necessary
 Other related documents, if necessary, in text box
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Definitions
Created new definitions and revised current definitions
 Revised definitions for:
 Abuse and/or neglect
 Assessment
 Added definitions for:
 Coaching
 Evidence-based practices
 Evidence-informed strategies
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EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Definitions
 Added definitions (cont’d…):
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Family Assessment
Frequency
Intensity
Method
Model
Multidisciplinary
Multidisciplinary Service Providers Model
Primary Service Provider Model
Single Provider Model
Telehealth
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Important New Definitions
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“Coaching” means a relationship-based strategy used by
appropriately trained personnel with a family member, other
caregiver, or another provider to support what is already working to
help a child develop and to increase their knowledge and use of new
ideas to achieve child or family outcomes.
“Evidence-based practices” mean practices that integrate research
that has demonstrated efficacy and with consideration of the situation,
goals, and values of the child, family and professionals.
“Evidence-informed strategies” mean the use of nationally recognized
recommended practices to inform the effective delivery of early
intervention services.
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Important New Definitions
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“Multidisciplinary Service Providers Model” means a model in
which two (2) or more qualified providers who have different
training and experience provide ongoing services as identified
in an IFSP. In this model the providers work independently of
each other with minimal interaction with other team members,
and perform interventions separately from others while
working on discipline-specific goals.
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Important New Definitions
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“Primary Service Provider Model” means a model of service
delivery that utilizes one main qualified provider from any
discipline that is the best fit to address the child and family
outcomes as identified in an IFSP. Other team members support
the primary service provider through teaming and may
provide co-visits under this model.
“Single Provider Model” means a model of early intervention
service provision in which one provider is utilized to meet the
child’s and family’s needs as identified in an IFSP.
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.901 Important New Definitions
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“Telehealth” means a form of service provision that utilizes
secure interactive videoconferencing to deliver early
intervention services.
EI Colorado State Plan
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7.930 Service Coordination
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B.9. Removes requirement to provide open choice of
providers in order to meet the requirement to follow the
funding hierarchy
7.940 IFSP
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I.1. Adds that model is included along with method as
required content on the IFSP service page
Questions
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July 1, 2015 Changes in FMAP
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Pages 18-24:
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Removes the personnel from service descriptions and revises
the descriptions of the methods (description of qualified
personnel is now an attachment)
Adds Teaming, Evaluation and Assessment to all
appropriate services and uses the definitions in the State
Plan
Adds supervision where it is allowable under the service
descriptions and adds the requirement for an Assistive
Technology (AT) evaluation to be conducted prior to an AT
device being purchased
Changes in FMAP
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Page 26, footnote 8: Clarifies that the only plans that
must meet a deductible are HSA tax-qualifying plans.
Page 31: Clarifies the relationship between Medicaid
(HCPF) and Denver Health HMO, as well as
Medicaid’s relationship with the Behavioral Health
Organizations (BHOs)
Changes in FMAP
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Page 32: Clarifies that if a family has Medicaid as a
secondary plan and declines use of their primary
insurance, then they are also declining the use of
Medicaid
Page 35: Clarifies how CHP+ (Colorado Access) must
be billed
Other EI Colorado State Plan
Appendices
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A – Memorandum of Understanding
B – State Transition Interagency Agreement
C – General Supervision and Monitoring Procedures
D – Fiscal Management and Accountability
Procedures
E – A Family Guide to the Coordinated System of
Payments for Early Intervention Services
F – Personnel Standards
G – Colorado Interagency Coordinating Council
State Systemic Improvement Plan
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Indicator 11: The State’s State Performance Plan
(SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) includes
a State Systemic Improvement Plan
Measurement: The State’s SPP/APR includes a
comprehensive, multi-year State Systemic
Improvement Plan (SSIP), focused on
improving results for infants and
toddlers with disabilities and
their families
SSIP
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FY 2013-18
 Phase I – Analysis
 Phase II – Plan
 Infrastructure Development
 Support for EIS Program and/or EIS Provider
Implementation of Evidence-based Practices
 Evaluation
 Phase III – Implementation and Evaluation
SSIP
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Phase I – Analysis - submitted 4/1/15
Phase II – Plan – due 4/1/16
 Infrastructure Development
 Support for EIS Program and/or EIS Provider
Implementation of Evidence-based Practices
 Evaluation
Phase III – Implementation and Evaluation – due
4/1/17-19
Focus for improvement: Evidence-based practices
consistently implemented from referral through transition
Colorado SSIP Improvement Activities
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Develop a CDHS/DCFS EI Program data system to
ensure that data will be available for monitoring,
evaluation, and improvement planning for both
compliance and quality indicators
Integrate the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
Process with the Child Outcomes Summary (COS)
Process
Implement a Statewide System of Family Assessment,
Using Department-Approved Family Assessment Tools
and Provide Training, Technical Assistance and Quality
Assurance Monitoring
Colorado Measurable Result
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The SSIP Systemic Improvement Measurable Result
(SIMR) is:
Infants and toddlers who receives early intervention
services in Colorado will demonstrate increased
growth in the use of appropriate behaviors to meet
their needs.
Other Initiatives
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Telehealth Pilot and Policies and Procedures Task Force
Provider shortages
Part C – Early Start Denver Model (C-ESDM)
UNC Project TREE
Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH) endorsement
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Project
Marsico Study and Gap Analysis of Early Care and
Learning Settings and Infants and Toddlers with Special
Health and Developmental Needs
Questions
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Next Steps
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What’s going well in the EI system?
Are there system challenges that EI Colorado needs
to be aware of?
What is the best format to disseminate information
to EI providers?
What are additional topics of interest?
CONTACTS
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Ardith Ferguson, Program Director
[email protected]
303-866-5468
Beth Cole, Fiscal Accountability Manager
[email protected]
303-866-5017
Early Intervention Colorado
Department of Human Services, Office of Early Childhood
1575 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203