4MyChild: Help and Hope for Life

December 13, 2006

Preparing for IFSP meeting (Individualized Family Service Plan)

The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is the foundation of services that are family-centered. Your IFSP is based on your child’s strengths and your family’s concerns and priorities for your child. You can participate actively in the process of assessment and planning by getting together information your child’s medical and developmental history. Take note of their strengths, talents, preferences, and challenges. Identifying current needs for needs for transportation, child care, or interpreters.
When getting prepared for your IFSP meeting with service coordinator collect information about your child- such as medical records, their a baby book, growth chart, or any other other evaluations or reports.
The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a process of looking at the strengths of the Part C eligible child and family, and developing a written plan to identify individualized supports and services that will enhance the child’s development. The IFSP is an ever changing planning tool - reassessed at six month intervals - or more often if necessary.

If you need help understanding the IFSP process or have question- speak with one of our live CareCenter Specialists now.

A service coordinator will facilitate the family’s participation throughout the planning and development of the IFSP. The IFSP should be created within 45 days of the family’s first request for a plan.

The IFSP process will include the following information:

-An assessment of child’s current level of development, including strengths, interests and areas of concern.
-The family’s concerns, priorities and existing resources .
- A statement of the major outcomes (or goals) expected to be achieved for the child and family. It should include the criteria for determining the progress.
- Supports and services to achieve the stated outcomes - using resources available to child and family.
- The date the services will begin and their anticipated duration. A variety of funding resources may be used to pay for these services including state and federal government resources, private insurance, family resources and/or local agencies.
-The name of the service coordinator.
-The identification of the service coordinator. The service coordinator must initiate this plan at least six months before the child’s third birthday.

Preparing for your first meeting can be overwhelming, we are happy to help. Contact one of our live CareCenter Specialists now for help and support.