Early Intervention Program Monitoring and Quality Improvement Services

The specific review types Kepro will be responsible for include:

• Comprehensive Early Intervention Monitoring Reviews for Regulatory Compliance (CRRC): A comprehensive review of a service provider or a municipality as a provider which could include child record review, policy/procedure review, personnel review, and facility-based observation (if applicable).
• Municipalities as Administrator Reviews (MAR): Municipality review focused on the work plan tasks, as defined in each municipality’s contract.
• Investigative Monitoring Reviews (IMR): A more specific review of a provider or municipality that focuses on complaint, inquiry, or expression of concern received from stakeholders regarding a specific practice or practices of a provider or municipality.
• Quality of Screening, Evaluation Reports and Eligibility Determination Reviews (SEED): Review focused on assessing the quality of provider screenings, evaluation reports, and eligibility practices.
• Verification of Correction Reviews (VR): A systemic focused review of a provider or municipality that evaluates particular programmatic and/or administrative practices for which a provider has been identified as being noncompliant during their comprehensive review and received a regulatory violation.

Procedures for Early Intervention Monitoring

Standardized protocols and review tools have been developed by the the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention (Department) and are used by Kepro teams to complete monitoring reviews for the EIP. The review tools include a comprehensive set of indicators designed to determine the extent to which the policies, procedures, and practices adhere to PHL, regulations, and Department guidance. The Kepro teams are comprised of individuals with expertise in early intervention and administration.

A self-assessment tool is provided in advance of the review. The purpose of the self-assessment is to give providers an opportunity to conduct a review of their child records, policies/procedures, and other documentation prior to the review, using the same indicators on which they will be monitored.

Kepro teams review information supplied by the Department, when applicable (e.g., findings from previous systems complaint investigations, monitoring reviews, and corrective action plans) to help focus review activities.

Review activities include:

• Interviews with providers/staff.
• Child records review.
• Review of other data and documentation related to the provision of early intervention services.

Presentation of Review Results and Required Action

A report is completed that presents the findings of the monitoring review and delineates the areas of compliance and non-compliance with PHL, regulations, and Department guidance governing the EIP. Determinations are based on the materials that were examined and the information obtained during the review.

Corrective Action Plan (CAP): If monitoring results determined non-compliance with PHL, regulations, and Department guidance, a CAP must be developed and submitted to address each finding of non-compliance which identifies the steps that will be taken to correct the non-compliance.

Required Evidence of Correction (REC): Following acceptance of a CAP, submission of Required Evidence of Correction (REC) will be necessary for select indicators related to Part C of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements to provide verification that the CAP has been implemented and the non-compliance successfully corrected.

For information about the New York State Early Intervention Program, please visit the site here.