Early Intervention

amother

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 4:16 pm

My son just turned two and has speech delays. He says maybe 20-25 words and doesn’t seem interested in even trying to learn to talk.

How is the early intervention process? How long does it take to get scheduled for an evaluation? Once approved, is there any sort of waiting list? Are the speech therapists good? Can I expect results within a year, before he turns three and ages out of early intervention? Is it a big headache? Pls tell me everything.

I’ve previously paid out of pocket for speech therapy for another child and had amazing results. Is it worth it to just pay someone privately?

oneofakind

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 5:18 pm

Easiest best way is private pay. Some even take Jersey Care.
EI is like every other government program. Lots of waiting. Lots of paperwork. Lots of meetings. Hit or miss therapists. You get what you pay for.
It's nothing like NY

amother

Molasses

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 5:26 pm

I’m actually really happy with my EI therapists. I think they’re very good. The process took a few months so I would get started ASAP. You’re not late, they don’t give speech therapy under two years old anyways. They come to the house/playgroup, and I find it very convenient. There’s not much paperwork and a meeting virtually maybe every six months.

Just insist on a speech therapist besides the DI therapist they assign everyone.

amother

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 7:58 pm

oneofakind wrote:

I assumed it was easier going private then through EI. But it’s so expensive 😭

Which therapists take Jersey Care? My kids have class D and when I looked in to it last (2 years ago) I was told insurance wouldn’t cover unless there was some sort of other diagnosis. Did that change?

amother

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 7:59 pm

amother [ Molasses ] wrote:

Thanks for the info.
What’s the sign up process like? Just call and ask for an evaluation? Does the paperwork come first?

amother

Powderblue

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 8:03 pm

Chani Wilamowsky at Upcare, Upstart Therapy..something like that is fantastic for young children and takes Jersey Care. Speak to her. She tests the child and if they qualify, they qualify. Perhaps she has to give some sort of diagnosis but not like an autism diagnosis.

amother

Molasses

Tue, Nov 02 2021, 10:10 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Thanks for the info.
What’s the sign up process like? Just call and ask for an evaluation? Does the paperwork come first?

Yes, just call. It’s been a year since I signed up my child but I don’t remember much paperwork.

amother

Snowflake

Wed, Jan 25 2023, 1:04 pm

bumping for more info
my daughter is almost 18 months and not walking yet, thinking of scheduling an evaluation to see if she can/should get PT. Can someone explain the process, timeline etc?
Thanks

amother

Iris

Wed, Jan 25 2023, 1:35 pm

amother Snowflake wrote:

bumping for more info
my daughter is almost 18 months and not walking yet, thinking of scheduling an evaluation to see if she can/should get PT. Can someone explain the process, timeline etc?
Thanks

You apply either online or by phone. They call you back and ask a bunch of questions. Then if you qualify, sometime in the next month they send someone to evaluate. Then in the next month they set up a call to talk about money and then another to set up services. We get serviced once a week.

amother

Snowflake

Wed, Jan 25 2023, 2:19 pm

Thank you! How long was it from when you first reached out to when you began services?

amother

Mistyrose

Wed, Oct 11 2023, 9:02 am

Does anyone have the phone number for early intervention? Looking to start the process