Montgomery County Infants & Toddlers Program → Information for Families → Intake Process

How do I know if my child needs services?

The Intake Process

Intake: It begins with a concern…

• Families and professional referral sources call our dedicated intake line at the central office when they have a concern about a child (ages newborn to 3 years of age for eligibility entry to program services; once eligible, services continue to Kindergarten age)
• The family must reside in Montgomery County
• The family does not need to meet any other qualification to be eligible for evaluation.
• No fee is charged to families for participation in the program.

How does MCITP determine your child is eligible for services?

Eligibility for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), Part C is determined by a family centered assessment. The following [conditions] determine a child's eligibility:

• 25% delay in one or more developmental areas
• Atypical development or behavior as demonstrated by abnormal quality of performance in one or more developmental area
• Diagnosed physical or medical condition that has a high probability of developmental delay
• View a List of automatically qualifying conditions and conditions which place a child “At Risk” for a developmental delay  

What is IDEA, Part C?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) is the latest revision of the law that mandates that children with disabilities have the right to access Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE). The purpose of IDEA, Part C is to:

• Enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities and minimize their potential for developmental delay
• Maximize the potential for children with disabilities to live independently
• Enhance the capacities of families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers with disabilities
• Enhance the capacity of State and local agencies and service providers to identify, evaluate, and meet the needs of all children, particularly minority, low-income, inner city and rural children, and infants and toddlers in foster care

Intake to Services to Transition Timeline

Visual timeline showing the process  from intake to determination of eligibility and then to services from MCITP and transition from MCITP to Montgomery County Public Schools.

MCITP Intake/Referral Information for Partners and Referrers

See our Partners and Referrers section for information about referring children to MCITP for services.