§ 43-2507. Collaborating agency; statewide system; components; duties; sharing information and data.

(1) Planning for early intervention services shall be the responsibility of each collaborating agency. The planning shall address a statewide system of comprehensive, coordinated, family-centered, community-based, and culturally competent early intervention services to all eligible infants or toddlers with disabilities and their families in Nebraska. The statewide system shall include the following minimum components: (a) A public awareness program, including a central directory; (b) A comprehensive early identification system, including a system for identifying children and making referrals for infants or toddlers who may be eligible for early intervention services; (c) Common intake, referral, and assessment processes, procedures, and forms to determine eligibility of infants and toddlers and their families referred for early intervention services; (d) An individualized family service plan, including services coordination, for each eligible infant or toddler with disabilities and his or her family; (e) A comprehensive system of personnel development; (f) A uniform computer database and reporting system which crosses agency lines; and (g) Services coordination to access the following early intervention services: Audiology; family training, counseling, and home visits; health services; medical services only for diagnostic or evaluation purposes; nursing services; nutrition services; occupational therapy; physical therapy; psychological services; social work services; special instruction; speech-language pathology; transportation and related costs that are necessary to enable an eligible infant or toddler with disabilities and his or her family to receive early intervention services; assistive technology devices and assistive technology services; vision services; and hearing services. (2) Collaborating agencies shall review standards to ensure that personnel are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained to carry out the Early Intervention Act. (3) Collaborating agencies shall be responsible for designing, supporting, and implementing a statewide training and technical assistance plan which shall address preservice, inservice, and leadership development for service providers and parents of eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities. (4) Policies and procedures shall be jointly examined and analyzed by the collaborating agencies to satisfy data collection requirements under the federal early intervention program and to assure the confidentiality of the data contained in the statewide system. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law, the collaborating agencies shall be permitted to share information and data necessary to carry out the provisions of the federal early intervention program, including the personal identification or other specific information concerning individual infants, toddlers, or their families, except that the vital and medical records and health information concerning individuals provided to the Department of Health and Human Services may be released only under the laws authorizing the provision of such records and information. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of such data to provide for the preparation of reports, fiscal information, or other documents required by the Early Intervention Act, but no information in such reports, fiscal information, or other documents shall be used in a manner which would allow for the personal identification of an individual infant, toddler, or family. History: Laws 1991, LB 701, § 6; Laws 1993, LB 520, § 10; Laws 1996, LB 1044, § 212; Laws 2006, LB 994, § 57; Laws 2007, LB296, § 141.