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Comprehensive Services: Birth-to-three
Birth-to-three refers to early intervention services that support development in children under the age of 3. Birth-to-three is known by many different names federally and locally. In Washington State, it is referred to as Early Support for Infants and Toddlers, or ESIT.
Early intervention can significantly improve your child’s development and long-term outcomes. As parents and caregivers of autistic children, it’s important to know that the federal government mandates access to birth-to-three services for children with developmental delays, including autism. These services are guaranteed to qualifying children by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) a federal law that ensures that children with disabilities have access to free appropriate public education and related services, as well as early intervention support for infants, toddlers, and their families.
Birth-to-three Services
Services for children with developmental delays, including autism, can differ from one birth-to-three center to another. These services often include a family resources coordinator who can connect parents to services such as developmental support/specialized instruction, speech therapy, occupational therapy, infant mental health, and even classroom or other community-based services depending on your child’s needs.
Birth-to-three in Washington State
The specifics of birth-to-three services differ across states. In Washington State, the program responsible for early intervention services is called the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program. The ESIT program is part of Help Me Grow Washington, which is a network of resources and services for families with young children. Various community organizations contract with ESIT to provide birth-to-three services to families across the state.
Anyone who has concerns about their child’s development can request a developmental evaluation through ESIT. The ESIT program provides developmental screening for children with delays or disabilities, including autism, as well as numerous other conditions that could impact development such as prematurity, genetic syndromes, hearing/vision impairments, cerebral palsy, etc. Evaluations through ESIT will look at your child’s skills across different areas of development, such as their communication, motor, and play skills. It is separate from an autism diagnostic assessment. If your child is identified as needing services, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed to assess the needs of your child and family and to recommend services.
Requesting an evaluation for birth-to-three services
If you live in Washington State, you can call the Help Me Grow Washington Hotline at 1-800-322-2588 to request an ESIT evaluation. This statewide, toll-free number offers help in English, Spanish and other languages.
