Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education

Early Intervention Program offers a variety of therapeutic and support services to eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. To be eligible for services, children must be:

• under 3 years of age, and 
• have a confirmed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by the State, in one or more of the following areas of development: 
• physical, 
• cognitive, 
• communication, 
• social-emotional, and/or 
• adaptive.

Early Intervention services can include: 

• assistive technology devices/services
• audiology
• family education and counseling, home visits, and parent support groups
• nursing services
• nutrition services
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• psychological services
• service coordination
• social work services
• special instruction
• speech pathology
• vision services

For more information or to make a referral for Early Intervention in Nassau County, please visit the Nassau County Early Intervention Website or 

call their Early Intervention Program at 516-227-8661.

For more information or to make a referral for Early Intervention in Suffolk County, please visit the Suffolk County Division of Services for Children with Special Needs Website or call the dedicated referral line (631) 853-3100

Many children who receive Early Intervention (EI) services may also be eligible for Special Education programs and services as preschoolers (CPSE). 

In this case, several key dates are defined in law and regulation relating to the action steps within the transition planning process from Early Intervention to CPSE and/or services. 

The calculator website below will assist you in identifying key dates for individual children. By entering the child’s birth date as instructed, key dates within the transition process will be generated. You may print out that page for future reference. 

Early Intervention to CPSE Calculator   

Further guidelines and information can be found by visiting the following websites:

New York State Association of Counties 

New York State Department of Education 

A Parents Guide to Early Intervention 

Programa de intervención temprana 

In New York State, every school district has a Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), a program that provides services to children from 3-5 years of age who have or are at risk of having a disability.  

If your child received early intervention services, your Service Coordinator will assist you with transition planning and making a referral to the CPSE at your local school district. If your preschool-age child (3-5 years old) did not receive early intervention services, but has some delays or lags in development such as difficulty in talking, moving around, thinking or learning, or is facing physical or behavioral challenges, you may make a referral to the chairperson of your school district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) who will assist you in completing the referral process.

For more information about CPSE, the referral process, and evaluations: NYSED's Information for Parents of Preschool Students with Disabilities AGES 3-5 Brouchure

For a current list of approved Preschool Special Education Programs in

 Nassau and Suffolk Counties, please click here.

Regulations: Section 200.16 

Learning Outcomes and Indicators for   Kindergarten Participation

 Preschool Special Education Policy Unit