SERVICE COORDINATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA

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What is Service Coordination?

If your family is approved for Early Intervention here in SC, a variety of support services and resources will become available for you, but knowing which services you’re eligible for and how to access them can get pretty overwhelming. Don’t worry – that’s where we come in! Your Early Interventionist (E.I.) at About Play will offer service coordination in South Carolina to help you navigate every step of the way.

WHO IS SERVICE COORDINATION FOR IN SC?

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Service Coordination is for the families of infants & toddlers ages 0-5 in South Carolina with developmental delays or disabilities.

Service coordination is one of many Early Intervention services available for families in South Carolina. It’s for the families of infants and toddlers from birth to five years who seem to be progressing slowly in any of these key child development milestones:
  • Learning to Walk
  • Learning to Listen and Talk
  • Height & Weight
  • Getting Along With Others
  • Learning How to Think
  • Doing Things on Their Own
Talk to your child’s pediatrician or contact us.
Our Early Intervention services might be available for you at no cost through a South Carolina state funding program called BabyNet or through DDSN, but you must first be screened, eligible and approved.

GET MATCHED WITH OUR TRAINED early intervention PROFESSIONALS

Your E.I. will be able to help coordinate services for you, your child, and family.

The Early Interventionist you get matched with will work with you to identify your child’s developmental needs. They’ll visit your home to provide teaching and training to help your child develop through play and everyday routines. They’ll also connect you with other valuable resources in SC. To work with us, just tell your initial screener at BabyNet or DDSN, “I want to work with About Play.”

How To Get Service Coordination in SC from About Play

After establishing that your child is eligible for Early Intervention services, our team will work with you to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). This plan will encompass the early intervention services that will best help your child reach their goals and desired outcomes. It will include services like family training, therapies, support groups, and more. Your ISFP will outline how each service will be delivered and also how it will be funded.

The ISFP service plan is like a map to guide you through your child’s early intervention journey. Your Early Interventionist (E.I.) will use it to help navigate you to the support services and resources you’re eligible to receive.

Examples of Service Coordination in South Carolina

Through Early Intervention, your child and family may be eligible for therapy services (occupational, physical, speech, etc.) and other additional resources and services, including support groups, hearing services, vision services, nursing services, nutrition services, etc.
First, some important notes:
  • It is important for parents to understand that services must be included on your child’s IFSP service plan in order for BabyNet to provide any funding for you to receive them.
  • About Play is here to help coordinate these services for you and your family. While we do not provide the services below in-house, our experts will help match you with licensed professionals who specialize in the areas where your child needs support.
Below are some descriptions of services and resources your About Play E.I. can help coordinate for you.
Support Groups
Support groups are one of the best resources for your child and family to gain support and cope with difficult situations. The learning and growth process of EI can be full of highs and lows, so sharing your feelings with those going through similar experiences can be extremely helpful. You can get new ideas, share your experiences, and find new ways to help your child succeed.

One of the most popular support groups that we refer families to in South Carolina is Family Connections. They offer a variety of ways to assist parents and families navigating systems that provide healthcare, early intervention, special education, general education, and postsecondary options for their children.

Hearing Services
Hearing impacts speech, language, learning, and social skills. If your child struggles to hear, adaptive equipment and technology may be available. BabyNet offers specialized intervention through South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind (SCSDB) for children with diagnosed, significant hearing impairment. Some available hearing services may include:
  • Fitting for hearing devices (hearing aids, Cochlear implant)
  • Assistive devices (personal FM amplifier, closed captions, telecommunications relay services)
  • Sign language
  • Cued speech
Vision Services
When a child is unable to gather information through their sense of sight, they need to collect information in other ways. The sooner a child receives vision services, the sooner their growth, development, and learning can be encouraged. Again, BabyNet offers specialized intervention services for children with significant vision impairments through SCSDB. Some of the vision services available may include:
  • Fitting for glasses
  • Magnifiers
  • Computer technology
  • Canes
  • Braille
Nursing Services
If your child has a developmental delay or disability that requires skillful treatments, nursing services can help for those that qualify through certain Medicaid waivers. If approved for nursing services, a professional will meet with you and your child to help teach you how to manage those responsibilities and provide your child with the best possible care. Some of the other duties nurses can assist with may include:
  • Medication administration
  • Tube feeding
  • Bandage cleaning
Nutrition Services
Nutrition services are an early intervention service available to help underweight children or children who need to adhere to special diets. Sometimes this involves referring your child to a nutritionist. For those children who qualify and have the required funding for the service, a nutritionist can assist with the following:
  • Dietary intake
  • Feeding skills
  • Food habits
  • Food preferences

About Play Can Help With Service Coordination in South Carolina

Do you think your child would benefit from early intervention services? We’re here for you! The About Play team has a number of exceptional instructors on staff and resources in the community to support your family in the ways that are most beneficial for you. Contact us today to learn more.

If you live in South Carolina and think your infant or child is experiencing developmental delays, we can help.