First Steps

Indiana's First Steps System provides early intervention services for families who have infants and toddlers with developmental delays or who show signs of being at-risk to have certain delays in the future. Services are coordinated to give qualifying children the widest possible array of early intervention resources. Who is eligible for First Steps early intervention services? A child (birth to third birthday) is eligible for First Steps services if he/she demonstrates a 20% delay or -1.5 standard deviation in function in two areas of development (called domains) or a 25% delay or -2.0 standard deviation in function in one area of development. The developmental domains are cognitive, physical (fine motor, gross motor, hearing, vision), communication, social and adaptive. A child may also be eligible because of a high probability of developmental delay. Conditions that would indicate such a risk include chromosomal abnormalities or genetic disorders, neurological disorders, congenital malformations, low birth weight or severe toxic exposure, sensory impairments and neurological abnormality in the newborn period. What services are available? Services children may receive through Indianas First Steps System include: Physical Therapy Nutrition Services Transportation Social Work Services Family Education Vision Services Assistive Technology Services Health Services Nursing Services Audiology Services Psychological Services Medical Services for diagnostic purposes Occupational Therapy Service Coordination Developmental Therapy Other Services Speech Language Pathology Starting First Steps Services Parents with concerns about their childs development may call the First Steps System Point of Entry office in their area of the state, explain their concerns and ask to have their child evaluated. A map of First Steps areas called clusters with contact numbers is on the back of this sheet. Parents may also call 1-800-441-STEP (1-800-441-7837) to learn more about First Steps in their area. A childs physician may also refer the child to First Steps. Once a referral is made, a First Steps Intake Coordinator will contact the family to begin the childs evaluation process. Cost Families whose household income exceeds 250% of the federal poverty guidelines are subject to a shared system of payment for First Steps services. Indianas sliding scale fee program is called First Steps Cost Participation. Families may request that expenses related to the medical and personal care of a family member be considered in the calculation of the family income and co-payment amount. Such expenses may include health insurance copayments and premiums, prescriptions and hospital expenses. Copayments are charged for most First Steps services. There are several services, however, for which a co-pay will not be charged. These include an evaluation, development of an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), service coordination, and procedural safeguards. Any questions about co-pays and services can be answered by First Steps Intake or Service Coordination staff.

To learn more First Steps, call:

1-800-441-7837

Page 1 of 2 Revised 5-10-11

Programs and systems change often. It is important to ensure that you are using the most current information. This Fact Sheet was updated on May 10, 2011. Please check with http://www.earlychildhoodmeetingplace.org for the most recent edition.
Supported in part by project H25 MC 00263 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services

First Steps is a program of the Division of Disability & Rehabilitative Services, a division of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration.

First Steps Cluster Offices

LA PORTE LAKE PORTER STARKE MARSHALL KOSCIUSKO PULASKI FULTON WHITLEY WABASH ALLEN ST. JOSEPH ELKHART LA GRANGE STEUBEN

Cluster A

Northwest Indiana First Steps 11045 Broadway Street, Suite F Crown Point, IN 46307 Phone: 219-662-7790 FAX: 219-662-7510 Toll Free: 1-800-387-7837 Counties: Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, & Porter

Cluster B

Cluster H

Cluster A
NEWTON JASPER

NOBLE

DEKALB

Cluster E
CASS

WHITE BENTON TIPPECANOE WARREN CARROLL

MIAMI

HUNTINGTON

Cluster C
HOWARD GRANT BLACKFORD MADISON DELAWARE JAY TIPTON HAMILTON

WELLS

ADAMS

Cluster B

FOUNTAIN

Cluster D
MONTGOMERY

CLINTON

RANDOLPH

Northeast Indiana First Steps 700 E. Beardsley Ave. Elkhart, IN 46514 Phone: 574-293-2813 FAX: 574-293-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-725-2398 Counties: Dekalb, Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble, SaintJoseph, Steuben & Whitley

V E R M PARKE I L L I O N VIGO CLAY

BOONE

Cluster H
HENRY HANCOCK RUSH WAYNE

East Central Indiana First Steps 225 North High Street Muncie, IN 47305 Phone: 765-288-7690 FAX: 1-877-288-7695 Toll Free: 1-866-316-9800 Counties: Blackford, Delaware, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph & Wayne

PUTNAM

HENDRICKS

MARION

Cluster I

Cluster G
MORGAN JOHNSON MONROE BROWN

SHELBY

FAYETTE

UNION

OWEN SULLIVAN

DECATUR BARTHOLOMEW RIPLEY

FRANKLIN DEARBORN

Cluster F
KNOX DAVIESS MARTIN

GREENE

Cluster J JENNINGS
LAWRENCE JACKSON JEFFERSON ORANGE WASHINGTON SCOTT CLARK

OHIO SWITZERLAND

Cluster C

First Steps of North Central Indiana 8515 Bluffton Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46809 Phone: 260-207-5799 FAX: 260-478-4850 Toll Free: 1-877-494-5115 Toll Free FAX: 1-877-494-5116 Counties: Adams, Allen, Huntington & Wells

GIBSON

Cluster I
WARRICK SPENCER

PIKE

DUBOIS

CRAWFORD HARRISON PERRY

FLOYD

First Steps of Southern Indiana P.O. Box 547 Corydon, IN 47112 Toll Free: 1-800-941-2450 FAX: 1-877-674-2285 Counties: Clark, Crawford, Dubois, Floyd, Gibson, Harrison, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Scott, Spencer, Vandergurgh, Warrick & Washington

POSEY

VANDERBURGH

Cluster J

Cluster D

Cluster F

Mid-North First Steps P.O. Box 6449 Lafayette, IN 47903-6449 Phone: 765-420-1404 FAX: 765-420-1406 Toll Free: 1-877 811-1644 FAX: 765-423-4235 Counties: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Warren & White

First Steps of West Central Indiana 500 8th Avenue Terre Haute, IN 47804 Phone: 812-231-8337 FAX: 812-231-8166 Toll Free: 1-877-860-0413 Counties: Clay, Daviess, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion & Vigo

First Steps - South East P.O. Box 2249 Columbus, IN 47202-2249 Phone: 812-314-2982 FAX: 812-373-3620 Toll Free: 1-866-644-2454 Counties: Bartholomew, Brown, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Lawrence, Monroe, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, Switzerland & Union

Cluster e

Cluster G

First Steps of North Central Indiana 552 N. Oak Drive Plymouth, IN 46563 Phone: 574-935-8446 FAX: 574-935-3134 Toll Free: 1-866-403-5437 Counties: Cass, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Kosciusko, Marshall, Miami, Pulaski, Starke & Wabash

Central Indiana First Steps 6923 Hillsdale Ct. Indianapolis, IN 46250 Phone: 317-257-2229 FAX: 317-205-2592 Toll Free: 1-866-212-1434 Counties: Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan & Tipton

www.ddrs.IN.gov 1-800-545-7763
11-03-10