First Steps
Indiana’s early intervention program, First Steps, connects you to services to help children meet developmental milestones prior to entering the school system.
Program Description
Indiana’s early intervention program is called First Steps. Each state has its own version of early intervention programs to help identify and provide extra services for children who are at risk of developmental delays. Taking action early can improve the child’s developmental skills and getting the help they need sooner can reduce total cost of care throughout the child’s life.
According to the Family and Social Services Administration page for First Steps: “First Steps… provides services to infants and toddlers from birth to third birthday who have developmental delays or disabilities. First Steps brings families together with a local network of professionals from education, health and social service agencies.”
In order to manage the program across the state, the First Steps has offices in different groups of counties which are known as clusters. Bartholomew County is located in Cluster J. The other counties in Cluster J are the following: Brown, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, Switzerland, and Union.
Eligibility for the First Steps program
The requirements for the First Steps program are mentioned in the First Steps Policy Manual (pdf):
Eligibility for First Steps is based on the state’s definition of developmental delay. The definitions are as follows.
Developmental delay. Pursuant to 470 IAC 3.1-7-1, a developmental delay is defined as:
a. A delay at least one area of development (listed in section A2) as determined by two standard deviations below the mean or at least 25% in function below the child’s chronological age; or
b. A delay in at least two areas of development (listed in section A2) as determined by 1.5 standard deviations below the mean or at least 20% in function below the child’s chronological age adjusted for prematurity as applicable and on an assessment instrument that yields scores in months.
Areas of Development
The areas of development, referenced in the First Steps Policy Manual (pdf), are the following:
i. Cognitive development
ii. Physical development (including vision and hearing),
iii. Communication development,
iv. Social or emotional development and
v. Adaptive development;
High Probability of Developmental Delay
Additionally, a child can be eligible for First Steps if he or she is at a “high probability of a developmental delay” due to a confirmed medical diagnosis:
High probability of developmental delay. Any child with a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay is eligible for First Steps. The child must have one of diagnoses listed in 34 CFR 303.21 (a)(2)(ii).
Medical Diagnoses from 34 CFR 303.21 (a)(2)(ii)
Here are the diagnoses mentioned in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that relate to a high probability of developmental delay:
(ii) Includes conditions such as chromosomal abnormalities; genetic or congenital disorders; sensory impairments; inborn errors of metabolism; disorders reflecting disturbance of the development of the nervous system; congenital infections; severe attachment disorders; and disorders secondary to exposure to toxic substances, including fetal alcohol syndrome.
Applying to the First Steps program for Bartholomew County Residents
To begin the application process for First Steps you’ll need to contact the First Steps System Point of Entry (SPOE) office.
For residents of Bartholomew County, the First Steps System Point of Entry Office is called “First Steps South East” and is located at 1531 13th Street, Suite G900, Columbus, Indiana 47201 in the Doug Otto Center. This is also the location of Thrive Alliance.
If you’d like to complete the forms online, you can apply at http://www.firststepssoutheast.org/general-referral-form
If you’d rather print out the forms, you can follow the links on the left side of the General Referral Form Page to access the form and print them out. When you’re ready to submit the forms you can email them to spoe@thrive-alliance.org, fax them to 812-373-3620, or mail them to the office address.
Once you’ve completed the referral, you’ll coordinate with a First Steps’ staff member to schedule an intake appointment. During this appointment you’ll get more information about the First Steps service offerings and an overview of the next steps in the process.
The high-level steps in the process can be found on the Steps to First Steps page on the Family and Social Services Administration website.
For Non-Bartholomew County Residents
If you aren’t a Bartholomew County resident, then you’ll need to contact the System Point of Entry (SPOE) for the county where you live. To be directed to the System Point of Entry (SPOE) for your county, you can contact the First Steps program administrators at the state level. The phone number for Indiana’s First Steps program is 800.545.7763 or you can email firststepsweb@fssa.in.gov to get more information.
First Steps Provider Agencies in Bartholomew County
Once a child is eligible for the First Steps program, they’ll be connected to a state-approved provider agency in the county where the child lives.
As of December 2020 there are two First Steps provider agencies serving Bartholomew County, A Step Ahead Pediatric Therapy in Columbus and Accord Children’s Therapy in Franklin.
A Step Ahead Pediatric Therapy
Address: 4610 25th St., Columbus, IN 47203
Phone: 812-314-2378
Email: astepaheadped@sbcglobal.net
Website: https://www.astepaheadpediatrictherapy.org
Accord Children’s Therapy
Address: 1176 N. Main St., Franklin, IN 46131
Phone: 812-343-2797
Email: info@accordtherapy.com
Website: http://www.accordtherapy.com