Rule 5123-10-04 | Early intervention program - credentials for early intervention service coordinators and early intervention service coordination supervisors.
(A) Purpose
This rule establishes minimum qualifications through credentialing standards for early intervention service coordinators and early intervention service coordination supervisors. All persons working in the early intervention program as early intervention service coordinators or early intervention service coordination supervisors will hold the appropriate credential in accordance with this rule.
(B) Definitions
For the purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Accredited college or university" means a college or university accredited by a national or regional association recognized by the secretary of the United States department of education or a foreign college or university of comparable standing.
(2) "Administrative supervision" means the oversight and management provided by an early intervention service coordination supervisor of the functions performed by an early intervention service coordinator (i.e., the supervisee) including:
(a) Clarification of roles;
(b) Planning and assignment of work;
(c) Review and assessment of work to ensure compliance with federal and state early intervention services requirements;
(d) Accountability and responsibility for the supervisee's work by the early intervention service coordination supervisor; and
(e) Maintaining records sufficient to document the dates and times that administrative supervision occurs for each supervisee.
(3) "Credit hour" means one semester hour or one and one-half quarter hours of college credit issued by an accredited college or university.
(4) "Department" means the Ohio department of developmental disabilities.
(5) "Director" means the director of the Ohio department of developmental disabilities or that person's designee.
(6) "Early intervention program" means Ohio's statewide system that provides coordinated services to parents of infants and toddlers with delays or disabilities in accordance with part C.
(7) "Early intervention service coordination agency" means a person, agency, or other entity that employs early intervention service coordinators and/or early intervention service coordination supervisors.
(8) "Early intervention service coordination supervisor" means a person who holds an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential issued in accordance with this rule and supervises early intervention service coordinators by engaging in administrative supervision and reflective supervision.
(9) "Early intervention service coordinator" means a person who holds an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential issued in accordance with this rule and assists and enables an infant or toddler with a developmental delay or disability and the child's family to receive the services and rights, including procedural safeguards, required under part C.
(10) "Early intervention services" means developmental services described in appendix A to rule 5123-10-02 of the Administrative Code, selected in collaboration with a parent of a child birth through age two who is eligible for services under part C, and designed to meet the developmental needs of the child and the needs of the child's family to assist appropriately in the child's development as identified in the individualized family service plan.
(11) "Part C" means part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1431 through 1445, as in effect on the effective date of this rule, and 34 C.F.R. part 303, as in effect on the effective date of this rule.
(12) "Professional development" means department-approved training, courses, or seminars that enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of early intervention service coordinators and early intervention service coordination supervisors. Professional development will be verified as successfully completed by the department (or, at the department's discretion, by an entity under contract or other agreement with the department) and:
(a) Be pertinent to serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families;
(b) Support and align with evidenced-based early intervention practices; and
(c) Be relevant to the role of the early intervention service coordinator or the early intervention service coordination supervisor, as applicable.
(13) "Reflective supervision" means the recurring and collaborative interaction between an early intervention service coordination supervisor and an early intervention service coordinator (i.e., the supervisee).
(a) Reflective supervision will:
(i) Advance ongoing opportunities for learning to ensure high-quality early intervention services;
(ii) Be based on feedback from the early intervention service coordinator's colleagues and families served, on-the-job observations, and records review; and
(iii) Help the early intervention service coordinator self-reflect on implementation of theories and approaches across early intervention services disciplines for the purpose of professional growth and development.
(b) The number of hours of reflective supervision required per month varies based on the credential held by the supervisee:
(i) For a supervisee who holds a one-year early intervention service coordinator credential, the number of hours of reflective supervision required per month is calculated by multiplying the average number of hours worked per week by ten per cent (e.g., four hours per month is required for an early intervention service coordinator working forty hours per week); or
(ii) For a supervisee who holds a five-year early intervention service coordinator credential, the number of hours of reflective supervision required per month is calculated by multiplying the average number of hours worked per week by five per cent (e.g., two hours per month is required for an early intervention service coordinator working forty hours per week).
(c) An early intervention service coordination supervisor will maintain records sufficient to document the dates and times that reflective supervision occurs for each supervisee.
(14) "Service coordination" means the functions performed by an early intervention service coordinator as set forth in paragraphs (N)(1) to (N)(16) of rule 5123-10-02 of the Administrative Code.
(C) Early intervention service coordinator credential
(1) One-year early intervention service coordinator credential
(a) The department may issue an initial early intervention service coordinator credential for a period of one year to an applicant who:
(i) Is employed by or under contract with an early intervention service coordination agency.
(ii) Holds an associate's degree or has earned at least sixty credit hours from an accredited college or university.
(iii) Has successfully completed department-provided professional development in:
(a) Introduction to early intervention services;
(b) Mission and key principles of early intervention;
(c) Family-centered early intervention practices;
(d) Individualized family service plan overview;
(e) Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect;
(f) Service coordination duties and processes;
(g) Parent rights and procedural safeguards in early intervention; and
(h) Infant and toddler development.
(b) The department may renew the early intervention service coordinator credential one time for a subsequent period of one year for an applicant who needs additional time to meet the requirements for a five-year early intervention service coordinator credential in accordance with paragraph (C)(2) of this rule, who is employed by or under contract with an early intervention service coordination agency, and who has successfully completed department-provided principles of early intervention service coordination training in:
(i) Introduction to early intervention service coordination;
(ii) Individualized family service plan process;
(iii) Monitoring early intervention service delivery; and
(iv) Transition from early intervention.
(2) Five-year early intervention service coordinator credential
(a) The department may issue an initial five-year early intervention service coordinator credential to an applicant who:
(i) Holds an associate's degree or has earned at least sixty credit hours from an accredited college or university.
(ii) Has successfully completed department-provided professional development in:
(a) Introduction to early intervention services;
(b) Mission and key principles of early intervention;
(c) Family-centered early intervention practices;
(d) Individualized family service plan overview;
(e) Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect;
(f) Service coordination duties and processes;
(g) Parent rights and procedural safeguards in early intervention; and
(h) Infant and toddler development.
(iii) Has successfully completed all components of department-provided principles of early intervention service coordination training.
(iv) Has documentation demonstrating successful completion of the early intervention service coordinator skills and competencies checklist.
(v) Has worked for at least one thousand hours during the most recent five-year period as an early intervention service coordinator and/or directly providing early intervention services through individualized family service plans.
(b) The department may renew an early intervention service coordinator credential for subsequent periods of five years provided the applicant has:
(i) Worked for at least four thousand hours during the most recent five-year period as an early intervention service coordinator and/or directly providing early intervention services through individualized family service plans.
(ii) Successfully completed fifty hours of professional development during the most recent five-year period.
(D) Early intervention service coordination supervisor credential
(1) One-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential
(a) The department may issue an initial early intervention service coordination supervisor credential for a period of one year to an applicant who:
(i) Is employed by or under contract with an early intervention service coordination agency.
(ii) Holds a bachelor's degree or graduate-level degree from an accredited college or university.
(iii) Has successfully completed department-provided professional development in:
(a) Introduction to early intervention services;
(b) Mission and key principles of early intervention;
(c) Family-centered early intervention practices;
(d) Individualized family service plan overview;
(e) Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect;
(f) Service coordination duties and processes;
(g) Parent rights and procedural safeguards in early intervention; and
(h) Infant and toddler development.
(b) The department may renew the early intervention service coordination supervisor credential one time for a subsequent period of one year for an applicant who needs additional time to meet the requirements for a five-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential in accordance with paragraph (D)(2) of this rule, who is employed by or under contract with an early intervention service coordination agency, and who has successfully completed department-provided principles of early intervention service coordination training in:
(i) Introduction to early intervention service coordination;
(ii) Individualized family service plan process;
(iii) Monitoring early intervention service delivery; and
(iv) Transition from early intervention.
(2) Five-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential
(a) The department may issue an initial five-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential to an applicant who:
(i) Holds a bachelor's degree or graduate-level degree from an accredited college or university.
(ii) Has successfully completed department-provided professional development in:
(a) Introduction to early intervention services;
(b) Mission and key principles of early intervention;
(c) Family-centered early intervention practices;
(d) Individualized family service plan overview;
(e) Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect;
(f) Service coordination duties and processes;
(g) Parent rights and procedural safeguards in early intervention; and
(h) Infant and toddler development.
(iii) Has successfully completed all components of department-provided principles of early intervention service coordination training.
(iv) Has successfully completed professional development in reflective supervision techniques.
(b) The department may renew an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential for subsequent periods of five years provided the applicant has successfully completed fifty hours of professional development during the most recent five-year period.
(E) Active early intervention service coordinator credentials and early intervention service coordination supervisor credentials issued prior to the effective date of this rule
(1) Early intervention service coordinator credentials and early intervention service coordination supervisor credentials issued prior to the effective date of this rule will remain in effect until they are scheduled to expire.
(2) A person holding an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential issued prior to the effective date of this rule may renew the credential provided the person meets the requirements set forth in, as applicable:
(a) Paragraph (C)(1)(b) of this rule for one-year early intervention service coordinator credential; or
(b) Paragraph (C)(2)(b) of this rule for five-year early intervention service coordinator credential; or
(c) Paragraph (D)(1)(b) of this rule for one-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential; or
(d) Paragraph (D)(2)(b) of this rule for five-year early intervention service coordination supervisor credential.
(F) Renewal of expired early intervention service coordinator credentials and early intervention service coordination supervisor credentials issued by the department
(1) Early intervention service coordinator credentials and early intervention service coordination supervisor credentials issued on or after the effective date of this rule that have been expired for fewer than ninety calendar days may be renewed upon completion of all renewal requirements of the expired credential.
(2) Early intervention service coordinator credentials and early intervention service coordination supervisor credentials issued on or after the effective date of this rule that have been expired for ninety or more calendar days will not be renewed; the applicant will be required to meet the requirements for the initial five-year credential in accordance with this rule.
(3) A person whose early intervention service coordinator credential or early intervention service coordination supervisor credential has lapsed may not provide or supervise the provision of early intervention service coordination during the period the credential is lapsed.
(G) Appeal and administrative review
(1) An applicant for the early intervention service coordinator credential or the early intervention service coordination supervisor credential whose application is denied may appeal to the entity under contract with the department for the purpose of hearing such appeals. The applicant may submit additional education, training, credentials, or other documentation to support the appeal. The entity under contract with the department for the purpose of hearing such appeals will evaluate the appeal and respond to the applicant within fourteen calendar days. If after completing the process set forth in this paragraph, the applicant still believes that the application should not have been denied, the applicant may request an administrative review by the director in accordance with paragraph (G)(2) of this rule.
(2) An applicant for the early intervention service coordinator credential or the early intervention service coordination supervisor credential whose appeal submitted in accordance with paragraph (G)(1) of this rule is denied, may request in writing, within thirty calendar days of the denial, an administrative review by the director. The applicant may submit additional education, training, credentials, or other documentation to support the request. The director will evaluate the request and respond to the applicant within thirty calendar days. The director's decision is not subject to appeal.
(H) Denial, suspension, or revocation
(1) The director will deny, suspend, or revoke an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential if the director finds, pursuant to an adjudication conducted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, that the applicant or holder has engaged in an immoral act, incompetence, negligence, or conduct that is unbecoming to the applicant's or holder's position.
(2) The director will deny or revoke an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential if the director finds, pursuant to an adjudication conducted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, that the applicant or holder:
(a) Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the disqualifying offenses listed or described in paragraph (E)(1)(a) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code;
(b) Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the disqualifying offenses listed or described in paragraph (E)(1)(b) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code if a period of ten years has not elapsed from the date the applicant was fully discharged from imprisonment, probation, and parole;
(c) Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the disqualifying offenses listed or described in paragraph (E)(1)(c) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code if a period of seven years has not elapsed from the date the applicant was fully discharged from imprisonment, probation, and parole;
(d) Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the disqualifying offenses listed or described in paragraph (E)(1)(d) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code if a period of five years has not elapsed from the date the applicant was fully discharged from imprisonment, probation, and parole;
(e) Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to multiple disqualifying offenses if the applicable period of time in accordance with paragraph (E)(2) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code has not elapsed from the date the applicant was fully discharged from imprisonment, probation, and parole; or
(f) Has been included in one or more of the databases described in paragraphs (C)(2)(a) to (C)(2)(f) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code.
(3) A conviction of or a plea of guilty to a disqualifying offense listed or described in paragraphs (E)(1)(a) to (E)(1)(d) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code will not constitute grounds for the denial or revocation of an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential if the requirements in paragraph (F) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code are met.
(4) Applicants for or holders of an early intervention service coordinator credential or an early intervention service coordination supervisor credential will disclose a conviction, including a conviction that has been sealed, for a disqualifying offense listed or described in paragraphs (E)(1)(a) to (E)(1)(d) of rule 5123-2-02 of the Administrative Code.
(I) Procedure to waive a requirement of this rule
(1) For good cause, the director may waive a condition or specific requirement of this rule. The director's decision to waive a condition or specific requirement will not be contrary to the rights, health, or safety of persons receiving early intervention services.
(2) An early intervention service coordination agency may initiate a request for the director to waive a condition or specific requirement of this rule by submitting the request in writing.
(a) The director may require or solicit input regarding the early intervention service coordination agency's request from persons receiving early intervention services or other persons.
(b) The director will grant or deny a request submitted by an early intervention service coordination agency within ten business days of receipt of the request or within such longer period of time as the director deems necessary.
(c) The director may put whatever conditions on approval of a request as the director deems necessary.
(d) The director's decision to grant or deny a request is not subject to appeal.
Last updated July 8, 2024 at 12:13 PM
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