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.
Discipline - Audiologist
Education
Master’s or Doctorate in Audiology
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.35
WAC 246-828
Discipline - School Audiologist
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.
Discipline - Registered Nurse (RN)
Education
Graduation from approved nursing program
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.79
WAC 246-840
Discipline - Licensed Practical Nurse Under Supervision of RN
Education
Completion of approved nursing program
Credential Needed
Discipline - School Nurse
Education
Bachelor’s in nursing from an accredited program
Credential Needed
Provides nutrition and feeding assessments, addresses nutritional needs, provides referrals to carry out nutrition goals.
Discipline - Nutritionist
Education
Bachelor’s in nutrition, dietetics or related field
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.138
WAC 246-822
Discipline - Dietician
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
Discipline - Occupational Therapist
Education
Graduation from a nationally accredited, board-approved school
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.59
WAC 246-847
Discipline - Occupational Therapist Assistant Under Supervision of an OT
Education
Graduation from a nationally accredited, board-approved school
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.59
WAC 246-847
Discipline - School Occupational Therapist
Education
Bachelor’s from an American OT Association approved institution
Credential Needed
Addresses sensorimotor function through enhancement of musculoskeletal status, neurobehavioral organization, perceptual and motor development, cardiopulmonary status, and effective environmental adaptation.
Discipline - Physical Therapist
Education
Graduation from an accredited school
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.74
WAC 246-915
Discipline - Physical Therapist Assistant Under Supervision of a PT
Education
Graduation from an accredited school
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.74
WAC 246-915
Discipline - School Physical Therapist
Education
Bachelor’s from an American PT Association approved Institution
Credential Needed
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.
Discipline - Psychologist
Education
Doctorate from a regionally accredited institution
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.83
WAC 246-924
Discipline - School Psychologist
Education
Master’s in School Psychology
Credential Needed
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.
Discipline - Speech-Language Pathologist Personnel
Education
See Speech-Language Pathology
Credential Needed
See Speech-Language Pathology
Discipline - Teacher of the Deaf
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.
Discipline - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) or Licensed Advanced Social Worker (LASW) or
Associate-Advanced and Independent Clinical Social Worker (AACSW)
Education
Master’s from accredited program
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.225
WAC 246-809
Discipline - School Social Worker
Education
Master’s in social work or approved program
Credential Needed
Discipline - Agency Affiliated Counselor
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.
Discipline - Special Education Teacher
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
Discipline - Teacher of the Deaf
Education
Graduation from an approved program
Credential Needed
OSPI Deaf Education endorsement
Discipline - Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Education
Graduation from an approved program
Credential Needed
OSPI Teacher of the Visually Impaired endorsement
Discipline - Paraeducator under supervision
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.
Discipline - Speech-Language Pathologist
Education
Master’s degree in speech-pathology or communication disorders
Credential Needed
DOH license
RCW 18.35
WAC 246-828
Discipline - Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Under Supervision of a SLP
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
Discipline - School Speech-Language Pathologist
Education
Master’s degree in speech-pathology or communication disorders
Credential Needed
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