CFR

303.23—Service coordination (case management).

(a) General. (1) As used in this part, except in § 303.12(d)(11), service coordination means the activities carried out by a service coordinator to assist and enable a child eligible under this part and the child's family to receive the rights, procedural safeguards, and services that are authorized to be provided under the State's early intervention program.

(2) Each child eligible under this part and the child's family must be provided with one service coordinator who is responsible for—

(i) Coordinating all services across agency lines; and

(ii) Serving as the single point of contact in helping parents to obtain the services and assistance they need.

(3) Service coordination is an active, ongoing process that involves—

(i) Assisting parents of eligible children in gaining access to the early intervention services and other services identified in the individualized family service plan;

(ii) Coordinating the provision of early intervention services and other services (such as medical services for other than diagnostic and evaluation purposes) that the child needs or is being provided;

(iii) Facilitating the timely delivery of available services; and

(iv) Continuously seeking the appropriate services and situations necessary to benefit the development of each child being served for the duration of the child's eligibility.

(b) Specific service coordination activities. Service coordination activities include—

(1) Coordinating the performance of evaluations and assessments;

(2) Facilitating and participating in the development, review, and evaluation of individualized family service plans;

(3) Assisting families in identifying available service providers;

(4) Coordinating and monitoring the delivery of available services;

(5) Informing families of the availability of advocacy services;

(6) Coordinating with medical and health providers; and

(7) Facilitating the development of a transition plan to preschool services, if appropriate.

(c) Employment and assignment of service coordinators. (1) Service coordinators may be employed or assigned in any way that is permitted under State law, so long as it is consistent with the requirements of this part.

(2) A State's policies and procedures for implementing the statewide system of early intervention services must be designed and implemented to ensure that service coordinators are able to effectively carry out on an interagency basis the functions and services listed under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) Qualifications of service coordinators. Service coordinators must be persons who, consistent with § 303.344(g), have demonstrated knowledge and understanding about—

(1) Infants and toddlers who are eligible under this part;

(2) Part C of the Act and the regulations in this part; and

(3) The nature and scope of services available under the State's early intervention program, the system of payments for services in the State, and other pertinent information.

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1432(4) )

Code of Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations 175

Note 1: If States have existing service coordination systems, the States may use or adapt those systems, so long as they are consistent with the requirements of this part.

Code of Federal Regulations

Note 2: The legislative history of the 1991 amendments to the Act indicates that the use of the term “service coordination” was not intended to affect the authority to seek reimbursement for services provided under Medicaid or any other legislation that makes reference to “case management” services. See H.R. Rep. No. 198, 102d Cong., 1st Sess. 12 (1991); S. Rep. No. 84, 102d Cong., 1st Sess. 20 (1991).

Code of Federal Regulations

[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993. Redesignated at 63 FR 18294, Apr. 14, 1998]

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