Is my child eligible?
There are 3 main requirements for an infant or toddler to get services from Birth to Three.
1. They must live in Connecticut
2. They must be younger than 3 years old
In fact, they need to be younger than age 2 and 320 days — if they’re within 45 days of their third birthday, they’re not eligible.
3. They must have either a developmental delay or a medical condition that is likely to cause a developmental delay
These conditions include autism, cerebral palsy, some vision and hearing problems, and many others — see a complete list of conditions)
In most cases, our team will evaluate your child to see if they have a developmental delay. To be eligible for Birth to Three, they need to have a significant delay in one or more of these areas:
- Cognitive abilities (learning, problem solving and remembering)
- Communication skills (talking, understanding and expressing ideas, following directions, pointing)
- Social or emotional behaviors (expressing emotions and having healthy relationships)
- Physical development, including seeing, hearing, moving, and general health
- Adaptive skills (self-help or daily living skills)
What should I do if my child is not eligible?
You can still get help. For example, contact 2-1-1 Child Development if your child:
- Is too old for Birth to Three
- Lives outside of Connecticut
- Doesn’t have a significant developmental delay but is “at risk” for one because of issues in their environment
The experts at 2-1-1 Child Development can help you find support. For example, children 3 and older can get help through their local school system. The Ages and Stages (ASQ) child development monitoring program and other supports may also be helpful.
Check out this Step by Step Guide for supporting your child’s development. (English) (Spanish)
If our evaluation didn’t find that a child is eligible, but you or other caregivers still have concerns, you can refer them again. This is called “re-referral” and you just need to repeat the referral process. You must wait at least 1 month after the original evaluation before doing a re-referral.