Early Support for Infants and Toddlers Providers

The Early Support for Infants & Toddlers (ESIT) program provides crucial services to children birth to 3 with developmental delays or disabilities. Services vary and are provided by qualified personnel according to the Early Intervention Program For Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part 303, Part C), which is under the U.S. Department of Education’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Qualified Personnel Guidelines

The information below summarizes each of the 17 ESIT services, as defined under CFR303.13(b). Included in each of the descriptions are the ESIT requirements for education and credentialing. For a complete, printer-friendly version, view the ESIT Qualified Personnel Guidelines.

Assists in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of child.

Discipline

Teacher, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Speech Language Pathologist, Audiologist

Education

Specialized knowledge of technologies in their field

Credential Needed

Washington Department of Health (DOH) license in their field
or
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Educational Staff Associate (ESA) Certificate.  

Identifies auditory impairments, provides auditory training, assists in selecting/fitting devices, etc.

Education

Master’s or Doctorate in Audiology

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.35
WAC 246-828

Education

Master’s in Audiology

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Assists the family in understanding the child’s special needs and enhancing the child’s development.

Discipline

Social workers, psychologists, and other qualified personnel when training caregivers in their field of practice

Education

All qualified personnel listed here except for FRCs

Credential Needed

Related DOH license 
or 
OSPI ESA Certificate 
or 
OSPI Teaching Certificate

Provides services necessary for children to benefit from Early Intervention, such as consultation with physicians regarding special health care.

Discipline

See Nursing Services

Education

All qualified personnel listed here except for FRCs

Credential Needed

Related DOH license 
or 
OSPI ESA Certificate 
or 
OSPI Teaching Certificate

Assists in determining developmental status and need for Part C services.

Discipline

Physician (e.g. Family Practitioner, Pediatrician, Ophthalmologist)

Education

Doctor of Medicine
Graduation from an accredited or approved medical school

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.71
WAC 246-918

Assists in determining developmental status and need for Part C services.

Education

Graduation from approved nursing program

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.79
WAC 246-840

Education

Completion of approved nursing program

Credential Needed

DOH license

Education

Bachelor’s in nursing from an accredited program

Credential Needed

DOH license
or
OSPI ESA Certificate

Provides nutrition and feeding assessments, addresses nutritional needs, provides referrals to carry out nutrition goals.

Education

Bachelor’s in nutrition, dietetics or related field

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.138
WAC 246-822

Education

Bachelor’s in nutrition, dietetics or related field

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.138
WAC 246-822

Addresses functional needs related to adaptive development, behavior, play, sensory, motor and postural development

Education

Graduation from a nationally accredited, board-approved school

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.59
WAC 246-847

Education

Graduation from a nationally accredited, board-approved school

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.59
WAC 246-847

Education

Bachelor’s from an American OT Association approved institution

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Addresses sensorimotor function through enhancement of musculoskeletal status, neurobehavioral organization, perceptual and motor development, cardiopulmonary status, and effective environmental adaptation.

Education

Graduation from an accredited school

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.74
WAC 246-915

Education

Graduation from an accredited school

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.74
WAC 246-915

Education

Bachelor’s from an American PT Association approved Institution

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Administers assessments; interprets information about child behavior and conditions related to learning, mental health, and development; and provides psychological counseling for children, parents, and families; consults on child development, parent training, and education.

Education

Doctorate from a regionally accredited institution

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.83
WAC 246-924

Education

Master’s in School Psychology

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Assists and enables a child and family to receive services and understand rights, including procedural safeguards, required under part C of IDEA.

Discipline

Family Resources Coordinator

Education

Complete introductory training provided by DCYF/ESIT

BA in EI field or equivalent suggested

Credential Needed

Registration with DCYF/ESIT

Teaches sign language, cued language, and auditory/oral language; provides oral transliteration services (such as amplification); provides interpretation.

Education

See Speech-Language Pathology

Credential Needed

See Speech-Language Pathology

Education

See Special Instruction

Credential Needed

See Special Instruction

Addresses patterns of parent-child interaction; provides social or emotional developmental assessment, individual and family counseling, social skill building, and coordination with community resources.

Education

Master’s from accredited program

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.225
WAC 246-809

Education

Master’s in social work or approved program

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Education

Master’s from accredited program

Credential Needed

DOH License
RCW 18.19
WAC 246.810

Promotes acquisition of skills in a variety of areas, including cognitive and social interaction; addresses learning environments; provides families with information, skills, and support to enhance skill development of the child; plans curriculum to achieve IFSP outcomes.

Education

Graduation from an approved program

Credential Needed

OSPI Teacher Certificate required

Special Education endorsement required

Early Childhood Special Education endorsement preferred
(Exception: Endorsement is not required if a person applied for their certificate prior to July 1, 1987.)

WAC and Federal Regulation Resources

Education

Graduation from an approved program

Credential Needed

OSPI Deaf Education endorsement

Education

Graduation from an approved program

Credential Needed

OSPI Teacher of the Visually Impaired endorsement

Education

TBD

Credential Needed

TBD

Identifies children with communication or language disorders and delays; provides habilitation, rehabilitation, or prevention of communication or language disorders and delays; provides referrals.

Education

Master’s degree in speech-pathology or communication disorders

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.35
WAC 246-828

Education

Board-approved associate degree certificate of proficiency, or bachelor’s degree from a speech, language, and hearing program

Credential Needed

DOH license
RCW 18.35
WAC 246-828

Education

Master’s degree in speech-pathology or communication disorders

Credential Needed

OSPI ESA Certificate

Assesses visual functioning, including diagnosis and appraisal of visual disorders, delays, and abilities that affect development; refers for medical and other services necessary for habilitation or rehabilitation of visual functioning disorders; provides communication skills training, orientation and mobility training, and visual training to activate visual motor abilities.

Discipline

Teacher of the Visually Impaired

Orientation and Mobility Specialist (for the blind and visually impaired)

Education

Graduation from an approved program

Bachelor’s and meets certification requirements for the Academy for the Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) 

Credential Needed

OSPI Teacher of the Visually Impaired endorsement