Early Intervention for ME helps children from birth to three achieve important developmental milestones. In a family-focused partnership, specialists show caregivers how to incorporate learning opportunities into a child’s everyday activities. Research clearly shows children from birth to three respond best to caregivers they know and trust.
Early Intervention Works!
Our routines-based approach is empowering, collaborative, and proven. Early intervention providers empower families to support a child’s healthy development. We equip caregivers with early intervention strategies that can be woven into a child’s familiar routines and natural play.
Our work takes place all over Maine. Early Intervention for ME consists of 9 regional sites statewide, with oversight from our state office within the Maine Department of Education.
Important Public Notice: Comments sought on Maine's IDEA Part C Application.
The Maine DOE (Child Development Services - Early Intervention for ME) is seeking comments from the public on its annual application for federal funds under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and / or suspected disabilities from birth to their third birthday.
The application, which covers federal fiscal year 2025 (starting July 1, 2025) can be accessed here: Maine Grants Part C FFY 2025 Application. The Part C budget is estimated/projected on the basis of Maine's award for the State's current award, pending the State's receipt of the finalized federal award for the coming year. The application will be posted from March 21, 2025, through May 21, 2025. If you would like to provide feedback on this document, please email the Early Intervention for ME Part C State Coordinator Ariana Whiting: ariana.whiting@maine.gov.
Please visit this trusted partner link to learn more about Early Intervention for ME:
www.earlyinterventionforme.org
What is the first step?
Make a Referral
We want to hear from you!
Referrals and self-referrals come to us directly from families, caregivers, physicians, social service agencies, childcare, and home health agencies. We encourage anyone that has concerns about a child's development to make a referral. While we encourage caregivers to speak with their pediatrician if they have any questions about their child's development, we do not require a pediatrician’s referral to begin our intake process.
After Early Intervention for ME receives a referral, we can perform a free assessment of a child’s basic skills and if appropriate, conduct a full evaluation to determine eligibility for early intervention services.
Once we understand a child’s unique developmental needs and the family’s priorities and goals, we form a team of dedicated early intervention professionals led by a service coordinator who guides the family through every step of our intervention process.
Beyond the team of professionals on a child's Individualized Family Service Plan (which guides early intervention) we collaborate with a wide range of professionals, such as experienced home health providers, physicians, specialists in hearing and vision, childcare centers, and community and human service agencies to provide coordinated and holistic services for each child.
To learn more about early intervention, please visit this trusted partner link from the Division for Early Childhood: www.bepartofei.org
Contact
If you have questions about Early Intervention for ME, please contact a member of the Maine Department of Education Early Intervention team at one of our regional sites, or through our referral line at 877-770-8883.