Program Office: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

CFDA Number: 84.181
Program Type: Formula Grants
Also Known As: Grants for Infants and Families, Part C of IDEA, Grants for Infants and Toddlers

This program provides formula grants to states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the secretary of the interior, and the outlying areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) to assist in maintaining and implementing statewide systems of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency programs of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Allocations are based on the number of children from birth through age 2 in the general population in the state. In addition, no state may receive less than 0.5 percent of the funds available to all states or $500,000, whichever is greater. The outlying areas may receive an aggregated amount of up to 1 percent of the funds appropriated, and the secretary of the interior receives 1.25 percent of the aggregate of the amount available to states, which is distributed to federally recognized Indian tribes. States are responsible for making services available to eligible children and their families, including Indian infants and toddlers residing on in-state reservations. States also may elect to provide services to infants and toddlers who are at risk of having substantial developmental delays if appropriate early intervention services are not provided.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 amended IDEA to allow states, at their discretion, to continue to serve children with disabilities under this program beyond age 2 until the children enter or are eligible to enter kindergarten or elementary school, if the children are eligible for services under the Preschool Grants Program (# 84.173) and previously received services under the Part C program.

Lead agencies coordinate early intervention activities and develop formal interagency agreements that define responsibilities for services and procedures to ensure their timely delivery. Funds also may be used to provide direct services that are not otherwise available. Through evaluation and assessment, services are identified to address the physical, cognitive, communication, socialemotional, and adaptive developmental needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities (e.g., special instruction, speech therapy and audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and psychological services) and to support families (e.g., family training and counseling). In addition, each child and family must be provided service coordination, a key component of family-centered services. Depending on state policies and procedures, which must be on file with, and approved by, the secretary of education, families may be required to pay for a portion of the cost of some services if state law provides for a system of payments by families.