Thousands of children in South Carolina need extra care from birth to age 5 to help them learn and grow. In other words… they need Step Ahead Early Intervention.

Step Ahead, our Early Intervention Program, provides a comprehensive array of services to children ages birth to six years.

Early Intervention is a family-focused, in-home service designed to provide intensive developmental instruction for parents and/or caregivers and their children with special needs. Our Step Ahead Early Interventionists intervene at the early stages of an infant’s or toddler’s development to help them to reach their developmental milestones.  Early Interventionist’s complete a Family Assessment on at least annual basis and a Curriculum Based Assessment at least every six months.

Our Step Ahead Early Interventionists help families understand their child’s development and give specific training to assist the family in addressing areas of delay. Special Instruction/Family Training and Case Management are provided in accordance with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for children birth to 3 or a Family Service Plan (FSP) for children 3 to 6 years of age.

There is no cost to families for Early Intervention regardless of income.

Your child may need early intervention, if they:

– have low birth-weight, critical health or genetic condition.

– are smaller in size and weigh less than other children of the same age.

– don’t respond or make few sounds.

– do not hear or see well.

– aren’t walking by 15 months of age.

– have trouble getting along with others or learning things on their own.

– if you believe that your child is not growing or learning as they should be.

What to expect:

Step Ahead, our Early Intervention program offers specialized services for BabyNet. BabyNet may link your family to our agency, or you may call our agency and we will link you to BabyNet.

Parents know their children best, and they are their first and most important teachers. Your family has the right to choose how your child learns, lives and plays. We’ll help your family build on its strengths to help your child enjoy a meaningful, independent life.

Our success is measured by the results gained in your child’s life and by your satisfaction.

Putting your goals into action:

We offer each family an early interventionist to put their goals into action.

The interventionist helps your child reach goals that you feel are important.

They visit your home weekly to monitor your child’s progress and suggest exercises, learning games and daily activities to help you child progress in development.

The interventionist can link you to local, state and national support groups that offer practical knowledge, advocacy and family-to-family support.

Your family’s interventionist can also guide you in applying for government benefits.

Linking your family to specialists and resources:

Step Ahead links your family to other resources in our community.

Our staff may recommend specialists.

Step Ahead is tailored to support each family’s choices and needs, and to ensure each child’s health and safety.

Your family will not be charged for services. Services may be paid with private insurance, Medicaid, other public funds or community resources.

Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control

• About 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autsim and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
• ASD is reported to occur in all racial, etinic, and socioeconomic groups.
• ASD is almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189).

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html (12-4-2015)

At the Richland/Lexington Disabilities and Special Needs Board we have Early Interventionists & Case Managers that are specifically trained in dealing with the unique challenges that Autism brings.

Eligibility for Services

Information that is helpful in determining eligibility includes social information relevant to developmental history, medical records, psychological records, and school records.

Richland/Lexington Disabilities and Special Needs provides services for people with traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury and similar disabilities.

We have Case Managers specifically trained to work with people who have traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or similar disabilities and their families.

Eligibility

To be eligible for these services, all four of the following requirements must be met at the time of applying for eligibility.

1.  The condition is attributed to a physical impairment, including head injury, spinal cord injury or both, or a similar disability, regardless of the age of onset, but not associated with the process of a progressive degenerative illness or dementia, or a neurological disorder related to aging;

2.  The condition is likely to continue indefinitely without intervention;

3.  The condition results in substantial functional limitations in at least two of these life activities: self-care, receptive and expressive communication, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, economic self-sufficiency; and

4.  The condition reflects the person’s need for a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary or generic care or treatment or other services which are lifelong or of extended duration and are individually planned or coordinated.

Definitions

The following definitions come from the South Carolina Code of Laws.

Applying for Services

If you or your family member have a severe disability as a result of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or both, or a similar disability, you may apply for services by calling the HASCI Division Information and Referral at 1-866-867-3864.

A Community Training Home I (CTH I) is first and foremost a home.

A CTH I provides a safe living environment for people of all ages with autism, intellectual/related disabilities, and head and spinal cord injuries and similar disabilities.

· A CTH I is a specialized, community-based residential option sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs and administered by the Richland/Lexington Disabilities and Special Needs Board.

· CTH I’s are private homes in the community in which a person with a disability lives with a trained caregiver. This residential option is ideal for people who desire a home-like environment.

· Each CTH I must pass an extensive series of safety and licensing inspections in order to ensure health, safety, and welfare of our consumers.

Who are the Caregivers?

· CTH I caregivers are specially trained to provide personalized care, supervision, and individualized skills training. Caregivers must successfully complete screenings and a training curriculum.

· CTH I Caregivers contract with the Richland/Lexington Disabilities and Special Needs Board to provide Residential Habilitation.

· Residential Habilitation is the service provided to our consumers that includes care, skills training, and supervision. The degree and type of care, supervision, and skills training is based on the consumers support plan, residential plan, and each consumer’s individual needs.

· Skills training for our consumers includes assistance with acquisition, retention or improvement in daily living skills, and the social and adaptive skills necessary to enable a consumer to live as independently as possible.

Making the Match

· We go to great lengths to make sure our consumers and caregivers are compatible.

Case management is a collaborative process involving comprehensive assessment, plan development, referral and linkage, quality monitoring, and advocacy.  Our Agency has knowledgeable and caring staff dedicated to providing quality services to those who we are privileged to serve.  We will help you to navigate the service delivery system, and we can help to identify and link you to the services and resources in the community that best fit your needs.  We provide Case Management to people with Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Related Disabilities, and Head and Spinal Cord Injuries and Similar Disabilities.  The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) is the agency that determines eligibility for services.  Our Intake workers help guide service applicants through the eligibility process.

Case Managers:

• work with families and/or care givers to comprehensively assess for needs.
• provide consumers with information about person-centered services and options.
• develop and implement effective plan of support.
• identify and link to appropriate and available community resources.
• guide you through the Service Delivery System.
• are “resource experts.”
• serve as advocates for individuals with disabilities and special needs.

We work with you and your family, and our goal is 100% consumer satisfaction!  We will work with you to meet needs, pursue life goals, and explore possibilities.

In order to find out how you can get a Case Manager see our How to Begin Page.

If you have questions about Case Management or your choice of providers please call us at (803) 252-5179 or 1(800) 809-1475.

You have a choice of providers.  For a list of providers in your area click the link below and see a list of options.

What to expect After You Become Eligible

Once you complete the Intake Process and become eligible for DDSN Services you are assessed to determine if you are eligible to receive Case Management.  If you are a Medicaid beneficiary you will be assessed for Medicaid Targeted Case Management.  If you are not a Medicaid beneficiary you will be assessed to determine you eligibility for State Funded Case Management which is funded by SCDDSN.

Your Case Manager will be a guide to services and supports in the service delivery system.

Your Case Manager will work with you to determine the type of assistance or support you need or want through Assessment and Support Plan development.

Medicaid Waiver info:

A Medicaid Waiver is a provision in the Federal Medicaid guidelines which allows people who meet specific criteria the opportunity to receive services and supports that enable them to live in the community or at home with their families rather than receiving these services in an institution. Currently, there are three types of waivers administered by the agency: Intellectual Disabilities/Related Disabilities (ID/RD) Waiver; Head and Spinal Cord Injuries (HASCI) Waiver; Community Supports Waiver (CSW)

Each of these waivers provides different services and supports. For specific information about each of these waivers please click on the link below:

SCDDSN Medicaid Waiver Information

Additionally, you can contact your case manager or early interventionist – if you don’t have one please contact the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) Adult Supports Office at 803-898-9671.