Diagnosis

Early diagnosis of your child’s special needs can help you to understand your child better, plan for the future, anticipate challenges, and access vital resources. The term “special needs” covers a range of diagnoses, including autism, dyslexia, Down syndrome, blindness, deafness, missing limbs, and many others.

Early Intervention

Early intervention services are provided nationwide. While each state’s services are called slightly different names, the services and supports are very similar.  What changes state to state is how it is administered (through what agency(s) and who would qualify. Generally, services and supports are provided to children between birth and three years of age who have a developmental delay or disability. These services include speech therapy, physical therapy, and more, as well as Targeted Case Management or Service Coordination.

Waivers

Medicaid Developmental Disability waivers are offered to both children and adults with various levels of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The “waiver” refers to Medicaid “waiving” the family income and asset requirement and looking only at the individual with a disability to determine eligibility. There are a multitude of services and programs offered under each waiver, depending on individual needs and program criteria met. While federally funded, these waivers are administered by the states, and so vary from state to state.