Bureau of Early Intervention (BEI) is a program offered through the New York State Department of Health for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. EI offers free support services to children under the age of 3 and their families. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy, family support groups and counseling, vision services, assistive technology, and psychological services.
Referring Children to EI
If you think your child has a developmental delay and needs help, you can make a referral to EI by calling 311 and asking for “Early Intervention,” or apply through the New York City Early Intervention Program Referral form portal. The Bureau of Early Intervention Centralized Referral Unit hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This will lead to an evaluation that will determine if your child is eligible for EI and what services they need.
Next Steps
After the referral, you will be assigned an initial service coordinator who will talk with you about your concerns, review your rights, discuss evaluation options, and attend the evaluation with you if you wish. You should also receive a copy of “A Parent’s Guide to the Early Intervention Program.”
If the evaluation shows that your child is eligible for EI, your initial service coordinator will set up a meeting to develop your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). EI must schedule this meeting within 45 days of the initial referral. Your initial service coordinator will also answer any questions you have about the EI program and explain how your health insurance can be used. Early Intervention services will not cost you anything.
Follow-up questions about a child’s case should continue to be directed to the EI Regional Office in the borough where the child lives:
If there is a concern about a preschool child’s development, families and professionals can learn how to refer a child for preschool special education services.
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