Supporting Your Child’s First Steps—For a Lifetime of Growth

Our Early Intervention (EI) model is built around family-centered, parent education practices. We partner with caregivers to support their child’s development through meaningful activities in everyday routines—mealtimes, play, bath time, and more. Our team empowers families with the tools, strategies, and confidence to help their child grow.

EI is a state-funded program available at no cost to families. Insurance may be billed with consent, but families are never responsible for co-pays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket expenses.

Our team of compassionate professionals will partner with your family to support your child’s development in the comfort of your home or community—during the daily routines that matter most.

On This Page

Early Intervention is a voluntary program that provides individualized, home-based therapy and developmental services. Our goal is to help young children meet their developmental milestones and empower families with tools and strategies they can use every day.

Using a play-based, family-centered approach, our therapists support early learning across five key areas:

  • Social/Emotional: How children relate to others and manage emotions

  • Cognitive: Problem solving, memory, and early learning

  • Communication: Understanding language and expressing needs

  • Motor Skills: Moving the body, grasping, crawling, walking, and using hands

  • Self-Help/Adaptive: Feeding, dressing, and caring for personal needs

Our services are based on a parent education model. We believe parents are their child’s most important teachers. Our professionals educate and support caregivers so they can embed learning opportunities into daily life—turning everyday moments into powerful opportunities for growth.

Early Intervention Matters

Therapist playing a game with child.

From birth to age three, children’s brains are developing faster than at any other time. Early support improves learning, independence, confidence, and overall well-being.

Research shows that when families are actively involved in intervention, children make greater gains. That’s why our program emphasizes the parent education model and active family engagement—because you are your child’s first and most important teacher.

Our Guiding Law: IDEA Part C

Nevada Early Intervention services are governed by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This federal law ensures that eligible infants and toddlers receive timely, appropriate services that:

  • Promote early development and reduce delays

  • Support families in meeting their child’s unique needs

  • Increase lifelong independence

  • Improve access and equity for all children

Daughter taking a test with her father watching.

Service Availability

We provide a wide range of services tailored to your child’s unique needs, which might include:

  • Special Instruction & Service Coordination

  • Speech-Language Therapy

  • Feeding Therapy

  • Occupational & Physical Therapy

  • Nutrition Services

  • Vision & Audiology Services

  • Service Coordination

  • Assistive Technology

Our Team of Specialists

Developmental Specialists

  • Early childhood educators with training in developmental delays.
  • Implement IFSP strategies and coordinate care.
  • Support learning through daily routines and family modeling.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

  • Support children in building strong communication skills—both verbal and non-verbal.
  • Address feeding and swallowing difficulties.
  • Expertise in articulation, phonology, fluency, language disorders, autism, oral motor development, auditory processing, and hearing impairments.

Occupational Therapists (OTs)

  • Help children gain independence in everyday tasks.
  • Support development in focus, play, and self-care.
  • Expertise in fine motor development, sensory integration, emotional regulation, and school readiness.

Physical Therapists (PTs)

  • Help children gain independence in everyday tasks.
  • Support development in focus, play, and self-care.
  • Expertise in fine motor development, sensory integration, emotional regulation, and school readiness.

Registered Dietitians

  • Conduct nutritional assessments and create personalized plans.

Vision Services

  • Help children develop skills for safe, independent interaction with their environment.
  • Offer adaptive techniques, mobility training, and collaboration with eye care providers.

Screening Services

  • Coordinate access to specialized evaluations and screenings.
  • Services include audiology, autism screenings, and developmental assessments.

Child Eligibility

A free developmental evaluation will assess your child in each area of growth.

Your child may qualify if:

  • They have a 50% delay in one area of development; or
  • A 25% delay in two areas; or
  • A diagnosed medical condition that is likely to cause developmental delays.
  • Clinical opinion indicates atypical development

Not sure? Explore CDC Milestone Checklists to see how your child is progressing.

Woman in a classroom teaching an autistic child.

Service Referrals

Child in therapy disagreeing with therapist.

To begin Early Intervention services, families must make a referral directly through Nevada’s Single Point of Entry (SPOE). This is how all Early Intervention services are initiated in the state, and SPOE will guide you through each step of the process.

Families can submit a referral using any of the following options:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Early Intervention?

Early Intervention (EI) is a voluntary, state-funded program that supports infants and toddlers from birth to age three who have developmental delays or diagnosed conditions. Services are home- and community-based, play-centered, and focused on helping families embed learning into everyday routines.

A full developmental evaluation will assess your child in five key areas: communication, motor skills, cognitive abilities, social-emotional development, and self-help skills. Your child may be eligible if they have:

  • A 50% delay in one area of development; or
  • A 25% delay in two areas of development; or
  • A diagnosed medical condition likely to cause developmental delays; or
  • Clinical opinion from qualified personnel indicating atypical or concerning development, even if standardized scores alone do not meet eligibility criteria.

You can contact Nevada’s Single Point of Entry (SPOE) to initiate evaluation and services. You may also reference the CDC’s Developmental Milestone Checklists.

Services are tailored to your child’s needs and may include:

  • Special Instruction & Service Coordination
  • Speech-Language Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Feeding and nutrition support
  • Vision and audiology services
  • Assistive technology
  • Transition planning to preschool or community programs

Services take place in your child’s natural environment, which is defined as any location where infants and toddlers without disabilities typically spend their time — usually your home, childcare setting, or community spaces.

EI uses a parent education model. Therapists educate, coach, and support caregivers during everyday routines (such as playtime, meals, dressing, bath time) so that families can embed learning strategies throughout the week. This empowers caregivers to support their child’s development between visits.

Early Intervention is provided at no cost to families. Insurance may be billed with consent, but families will never be responsible for co-pays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket expenses.

Between 27 and 32 months, your Developmental Specialist/Service Coordinator will schedule a transition meeting. This may include:

  • A referral to the local school district for a Part B evaluation, if desired by the family
  • Exploration of other service options which might include: community childcare; private preschool; home-based routines and developmental strategies; and additional community programs.

A school district representative may attend the transition meeting, but attendance varies depending on family choice and need.

No, families do not need a medical referral. You can request an assessment for your child directly through Nevada’s Single Point of Entry (SPOE).