May an assistant SLP be assigned service coordination duties in an Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program?
A. Yes, an assistant SLP may assist families in locating resources and completing paperwork, and perform other tasks that are typically assigned to service coordinators. Q. In Early Childhood Intervention programs, a professional other than an SLP (e.g., OT, PT, educator) may perform a comprehensive assessment of an infant or toddler and identify developmental delays in communication skills. Does this mean that the infant or toddler automatically qualifies for speech-language therapy? A. No. When other professionals evaluate an infant or toddler and provide an “informed clinical opinion”, indicating the child shows a developmental delay or atypical development in the area of communication, this information may be used to determine a child’s eligibility for the ECI program. However, only the licensed SLP is authorized to diagnose a speech-language disorder and determine if the child is a candidate for speech-language therapy. Q. May the public schools employ a substitute to fill in when
