Recommendations

Official Early Intervention Taskforce Report
Illinois Department of Human Services
Division of Community Health & Prevention
Bureau of Early Intervention

Recommendations

The Taskforce was charged with an examination of (1) workforce, (2) financing, (3) monitoring and evaluation, and (4) service delivery and transition. To facilitate this work, four working groups were convened by EI Taskforce members to review the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and to develop recommendations to improve practice, support long-term growth and/or improve fiscal stability. The EI Taskforce's recommendations follow:

Recommendation #1 – The Bureau of Early Intervention must design and implement a web-based data management system.
Recommendation #2 – The Bureau of Early Intervention must conduct a thorough review of the current service delivery model, including a comprehensive evaluation of service delivery models operating in other states, in order to determine the degree to which changes need to be made to Illinois’ model of service delivery.
Recommendation #3 – The Bureau of Early Intervention will coordinate and undertake a number of activities targeted to improve the recruitment, development and retention of highly qualified and culturally and linguistically competent personnel.
Recommendation #4 – The IICEI will create and convene a workgroup to review current Child Find and Referral policies, procedures and practices in order to assure the timely and appropriate identification and referral of all infants and toddlers who may be eligible for the Part C Early Intervention Program to the Part C Early Intervention Program and of infants and toddlers are who found ineligible to other community resources or services as appropriate.
Recommendation #5 – The Bureau of Early Intervention will coordinate a comprehensive review of Illinois' current initial and annual eligibility criteria and eligibility determination processes in order to assure that children are appropriately identified in a timely manner, that service recommendations are unbiased and that children who are no longer eligible are transitioned smoothly out of the Part C EI Program to other community services, if necessary.
Recommendation #6 – The Bureau of Early Intervention will conduct a thorough review of the current Assistive Technology service in order to identify current inefficiencies, incorporate recommended practices and realize cost savings.
Recommendation #7 – The Bureau of Early Intervention must work to implement a comprehensive system of qualitative monitoring, which should include:
Recommendation #8 – The Bureau of Early Intervention will undertake a number of activities designed to enhance the current system of quantitative monitoring, including:
Recommendation #9 – The Bureau of Early Intervention and the Illinois State Board of Education must work together more effectively to assure that all children who are eligible for Part B services, but particularly those children served by the Chicago Public Schools, have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in place by the time they reach their third birthday.
Recommendation #10 – The Bureau of Early Intervention will explore new funding opportunities and maximize cost efficiencies in order to retain the current eligibility criteria, protect direct services and assure long-term financial stability to the greatest extent possible.