The lead agency shall provide training to early intervention providers and may enter into contracts to meet this requirement. If such contracts are let, they shall be bid under a public request for proposals that shall be posted on the lead agency's early intervention website for no less than 30 days. This training shall include, at minimum, the following types of instruction:
(a) Courses in birth-to-3 evaluation and treatment of children with developmental disabilities and delays (1) that are taught by fully credentialed early intervention providers or educators with substantial experience in evaluation and treatment of children from birth to age 3 with developmental disabilities and delays, (2) that cover these topics within each of the disciplines of audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language pathology, and developmental therapy, including the social-emotional domain of development, (3) that are held no less than twice per year, (4) that offer no fewer than 20 contact hours per year of course work, (5) that are held in no fewer than 5 separate locales throughout the State, and (6) that give enrollment priority to early intervention providers who do not meet the experience, education, or continuing education requirements necessary to be fully credentialed early intervention providers; and(b) Courses held no less than twice per year for no fewer than 4 hours each in no fewer than 5 separate locales throughout the State each on the following topics: (1) Practice and procedures of private insurance billing.(2) The role of the regional intake entities; service coordination; program eligibility determinations; family fees; any federally funded, Department of Healthcare and Family Services administered, medical programs , and Division of Specialized Care applications, referrals, and coordination with Early Intervention; and procedural safeguards.(3) Introduction to the early intervention program, including provider enrollment and credentialing, overview of Early Intervention program policies and regulations, and billing requirements.(4) Evaluation and assessment of birth-to-3 children; individualized family service plan development, monitoring, and review; best practices; service guidelines; and quality assurance.Amended by P.A. 098-0041,§ 10, eff. 6/28/2013. P.A. 92-307, eff. 8-9-01.