303.321—Comprehensive child find system.

(a) General. (1) Each system must include a comprehensive child find system that is consistent with part B of the Act (see 34 CFR 300.128 ), and meets the requirements of paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section.

(2) The lead agency, with the advice and assistance of the Council, shall be responsible for implementing the child find system.

(b) Procedures. The child find system must include the policies and procedures that the State will follow to ensure that—

(1) All infants and toddlers in the State who are eligible for services under this part are identified, located, and evaluated; and

(2) An effective method is developed and implemented to determine which children are receiving needed early intervention services.

(c) Coordination. (1) The lead agency, with the assistance of the Council, shall ensure that the child find system under this part is coordinated with all other major efforts to locate and identify children conducted by other State agencies responsible for administering the various education, health, and social service programs relevant to this part, tribes and tribal organizations that receive payments under this part, and other tribes and tribal organizations as appropriate, including efforts in the—

(i) Program authorized under part B of the Act;

(ii) Maternal and Child Health program under title V of the Social Security Act;

(iii) Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program under title XIX of the Social Security Act;

(iv) Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act;

(v) Head Start Act; and

(vi) Supplemental Security Income program under title XVI of the Social Security Act.

(2) The lead agency, with the advice and assistance of the Council, shall take steps to ensure that—

(i) There will not be unnecessary duplication of effort by the various agencies involved in the State's child find system under this part; and

(ii) The State will make use of the resources available through each public agency in the State to implement the child find system in an effective manner.

(d) Referral procedures. (1) The child find system must include procedures for use by primary referral sources for referring a child to the appropriate public agency within the system for—

(i) Evaluation and assessment, in accordance with §§ 303.322 and 303.323; or

(ii) As appropriate, the provision of services, in accordance with § 303.342(a) or § 303.345.

(2) The procedures required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section must—

(i) Provide for an effective method of making referrals by primary referral sources;

(ii) Ensure that referrals are made no more than two working days after a child has been identified; and

(iii) Include procedures for determining the extent to which primary referral sources, especially hospitals and physicians, disseminate the information, as described in § 303.320, prepared by the lead agency on the availability of early intervention services to parents of infants and toddlers with disabilities.

(3) As used in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, primary referral sources includes—

(i) Hospitals, including prenatal and postnatal care facilities;

(ii) Physicians;

(iii) Parents;

(iv) Day care programs;

(v) Local educational agencies;

(vi) Public health facilities;

(vii) Other social service agencies; and

(viii) Other health care providers.

(e) Timelines for public agencies to act on referrals. (1) Once the public agency receives a referral, it shall appoint a service coordinator as soon as possible.

(2) Within 45 days after it receives a referral, the public agency shall—

(i) Complete the evaluation and assessment activities in § 303.322; and

(ii) Hold an IFSP meeting, in accordance with § 303.342.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1820-0550)

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1432(4)(E)(vii), 1435(a)(5) )

Code of Federal Regulations

Note: In developing the child find system under this part, States should consider (1) tracking systems based on high-risk conditions at birth, and (2) other activities that are being conducted by various agencies or organizations in the State.

Code of Federal Regulations

[58 FR 40959, July 30, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 18295, Apr. 14, 1998]