MDT
Evaluation
A
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) evaluation is required
prior to the development of an IFSP in order for:
a)
the child to receive free appropriate
early intervention services in Nebraska and
b)
the family to receive free services coordination
The
MDT process is a coordinated effort by specialists
employed by the public schools to determine whether
or not the child meets state criteria for having
developmental delays. This is accomplished by
having the specialists:
- observe
the child
- interview
the parents and
- interpret
available information/reports
This
assessment process must be completed by more than
the person employed by the public schools (Rule
51.006.04B-N). The process should also be completed
over more than one day/setting whenever possible
in order to best determine a young child's abilities
and needs.
Membership
on the MDT will be dictated by the guidelines
provided in Rule 51 for each suspected category
of disability/eligibility (Rule 51:006.04B-N).
These may or may not be the same persons who would
later provide needed services.
The
professionals involved in the MDT assessment process
might include:
- An
infant/preschool educator (general development,
play)
- A
psychologist (intellectual, problem-solving,
processing and adaptive abilities)
- A
speech-language pathologist (communication ability)
- A
physical therapist (movement ability)
- An
occupational therapist (movement, play, daily
living--independence--abilities)
- A
vision specialist (sight and visual processing
abilities)
- An
audiologist (hearing abilities)
- A
nurse (general health)
- A
doctor who collaborates with the school personnel
(overall development)
This
assessment process may take place in the family
home or at a designated location in the community,
such as an Educational Service Unit or public
school. The location of the evaluation will be
determined through a review of available reports
and discussion with the family and school personnel.
The
MDT assessment process may be completed in a series
of appointments by individual school employees
or collectively by a team in an 'arena' format.
This arena format permits the child and parent
to interact with one primary professional while
three to four other professionals observe nearby
and collect pertinent information from the child's
activities and the interview that the primary
professional has with the parent.
The
MDT shall be conducted after:
- a
referral is made to a community Services Coordinator
- parental
consent is obtained for the child's evaluation
and
- the
Services Coordinator has received necessary
consent for release of all pertinent reports
to be shared with the MDT for their consideration
The
purposes of the MDT are to
- assess
and document the developmental abilities and
needs of a particular child, and
- determine
eligibility for free appropriate early intervention
services under state Rule 51 guidelines, and
- determine
eligibility for free services coordination up
to 3 years of age.
The
child will be assessed in all developmental areas
to assure a thorough assessment of developmental
needs. (Rule 51: 006.02D)
Related
Terms: |
| Screening:
A quick, economical
sampling of behaviors in the area(s) of
concern; a quick comparison of child's abilities
against a large group or standard of typically
developing children on the same tasks.
Assessment:
"The systematic collection of
information for the purpose of making a
decision."
Evaluation:
The process for the collection and/or
review of facts for the purpose of determining
the value, worth or merit of a program,
strategy, curriculum, etc. This term is
sometimes used interchangeably with "assessment".
Diagnosis:
The "nature" of the problem;
a label for a collection of symptoms.
Testing:
(n) a package of systematically selected/arranged
questions and tasks that explore the individual's
upper and lower limits of ability.
(v) the process of determining the upper
and lower limits of an individual's abilities
in the area(s) of concern.
Monitoring:
The periodic collection of information
to judge development via maturity or progress
due to intervention, process of checking
the validity/integrity of a service. |
| 
