Allied Agencies: Frequently Asked Questions
How is Child and Family Connections Funded?
What is Child and Family Connections?
Myth: Child and Family Connections provide therapeutic services.
Myth: Early Intervention and Child and Family Connections are separate entities.
Myth: I should only refer a child if I believe the child has a severe and diagnosable disability.
Myth: If a family is referred to the local CFC they are required to be enrolled.
Myth: Only doctors are able to make a referral to Child and Family Connections.
Myth: Only providers who work for agencies are qualified to work with my child.
Myth: The best therapeutic services for my child will be provided at an agency's facility.
Myth: There is no fee for Early Intervention Services.
How is Local Interagency Council Funded?
What does Local Interagency Council do?
What is Local Interagency Council?
Why should I become a member of the Local Interagency Council?
Child and Family Connections
How is Child and Family Connections Funded?
Child and Family Connections is funded through grants from the Department of Human Services. The local fiscal agent for CFC #14 is Peoria County Board for the Care and Treatment of Persons with a Developmental Disability.
How much does it cost?
Child and family connections will provide screenings, evaluations, service coordination, parent support and education free of cost. If the family receives ongoing therapeutic services, fees are assessed on a sliding fee scale according to the families income and size. The Family fee can be 0-$200.
What is Child and Family Connections?
Child and Family Connections (CFC) is the Early Intervention program in the state of Illinois. CFC is the system point of entry for Early Intervention. CFC provides services for children birth to three and their families. CFC assists children who are diagnosed with disabilities or are at risk for developmental delays. Child and Family Connections will help families obtain evaluations and assessments. They will help determine eligibility for early intervention services. If eligible, an Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) will be developed to help a child learn, grow and receive needed services.
When do I make a referral?
You can review the developmental milestones to see if a child is developing within the typical range of development, if you suspect that a child is at risk or has a developmental delay contact your local CFC to make a referral by calling (309) 672-6360 or 1-888-482-4300.
Who can make a referral?
Referrals can be made by parents, family members, physicians, local health department, screenings, hospitals, Regional Diagnostic Center, and daycare providers.
Early Intervention
Myth: As a provider I should only make a referral to the Child and Family Connections office after insurance will no lo
Fact: As a provider any child under the age of three should be directly referred to the local Child and Family Connection office. Child and Family Connections will explain the process to the family and they can make a decision based upon the information give of whether to enroll in Early Intervention.
Myth: As a provider I should refer to an agency that provides therapeutic services and they will make the referral to E
Fact: Child and Family Connection is the system point of Early Intervention. All referrals should be made to the local CFC for children under the age of 3. The CFC will make referrals to agencies or independent providers based on family choice and insurance.
Myth: Child and Family Connections provide therapeutic services.
Fact: Child and Family Connections will make referrals to enrolled Early Intervention providers based upon family concerns and the Individualized Service Plan (IFSP). Child and family connections has enrolled Service Coordinators, Parent Liaisons, and a Social Emotional Consultant that is able to work with the families as needed.
Myth: Early Intervention and Child and Family Connections are separate entities.
Fact: Child and Family Connections is the Early Intervention program for the State of Illinois. There are 25 Child and Family Connection Regions throughout the State of Illinois. The Child and Family Connections Office that covers Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Henry and Stark Counties is Child and Family Connections #14. Child and Family Connections is also known as CFC.
Myth: I should only refer a child if I believe the child has a severe and diagnosable disability.
Fact: Early Intervention serves families of children who have diagnosed disabilities as well as children who are at risk for developmental delays or have a delay in one area of development such as speech, motor, cognitive, sensory, etc
Myth: If a family is referred to the local CFC they are required to be enrolled.
Fact: Early Intervention is a voluntary program. A family can enroll anytime before a child is three and at any point during the process a family can withdraw from early Intervention Services and re-refer at any point before their child is 3 years of age.
Myth: Only doctors are able to make a referral to Child and Family Connections.
Fact: Referrals can be made to the local Child and Family Connections from parents, family members, doctors, hospitals, local health departments, local screenings, Regional Diagnostic Center, community agencies, and many other referral sources.
Myth: Only providers who work for agencies are qualified to work with my child.
Fact: Early Intervention has a credentialing process to enroll providers into the system. In order to provide therapeutic services an individual must meet the requirements set forth by the state and have a current credential to provide therapeutic services. All providers independent and those working for an agency must all meet the requirements set forth by the state.
Myth: The best therapeutic services for my child will be provided at an agency's facility.
Fact: Early Intervention believes strongly that children and their families can benefit more when therapeutic services are provided in a natural setting where the child feels comfortable and providers are able to use the environment to set examples for the family.
Myth: There is no fee for Early Intervention Services.
Fact: A family will never have a fee for Service Coordination, Parent Liaison or Social Emotional Consultant assistance, or evaluations. If a family chooses to continue with ongoing therapeutic services they may have a fee based off of their income and family size. The Family Fee is a sliding scale and can be free to $200 a month. The fee will not increase based upon frequency or addition of therapeutic services. The average Family Fee is 20 dollars.
General
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LIC
How is Local Interagency Council Funded?
The Local Interagency Council is funded through the Department of Human Services with a small budget to provide the needed resources to help support Child and Family Connections and Child Find for children birth to age 5.
What does Local Interagency Council do?
The Local Interagency Council is responsible for Child Find, Provider Recruitment and Public Awareness. The LIC supports Child Find by providing materials, coordinating and helping with screenings, trainings and collaborations with other agencies and networks. The LIC is responsible for Provider Recruitment through locating new providers and retaining current providers. We host trainings for providers in their required core knowledge areas and workshops for families on topics that they feel are needed. We provide Public Awareness by providing the community with information on the CFC, LIC, screenings, developmental milestones, and the agencies involved with the LIC.
What is Local Interagency Council?
The Local Interagency Council is an organization of families, local service providers, Child and Family Connections #14 staff, local school districts, community agencies and others interested. The Local Interagency Council (LIC) is a collaborative council for families and children birth to age 5. Their main goal is identifying and improving Early Intervention Services within the community and making them accessible to young children and their families. The Local Interagency (LIC) #16 covers Peoria Tazewell and Woodford Counties.
Why should I become a member of the Local Interagency Council?
As a member of the Local Interagency Council you will be able to support families and their children within your community. You will be able to assist the LIC in coordinating trainings, public awareness events, provider recruitment, and local screenings. Members will be able to distribute their agency information at public awareness events. The LIC will support the collaborations formed with resources and education.