Laws and Regulations: What Are Your Rights? What is the Complaint Process?

 

The Early Intervention (EI) System is governed by federal and state statutes and regulations. As parents, you have rights and access to procedural safeguards to assure that EI services are provided in a manner appropriate to your child’s needs and the concerns of your family. Your Family Resource Coordinator (FRC) will provide you with written information about your rights and explain them to you. See Parent Rights Brochure (external). If you need an additional copy of your rights or have questions about them, you can contact your FRC, King County DDD or DSHS/DDD Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program (ITEIP).

Confidentiality and Access to Records
Your EI records are an important source of information about your child. The information that you give to your EI service provider about your child and family is confidential. This information will only be shared with authorized persons involved in your child’s services. Your EI service provider can not send any confidential information to other individuals or agencies without getting written permission from you.

Procedural Safeguards/Complaint Process
Procedural safeguards ensure that families are provided their rights under the law. There are informal and formal ways of resolving disagreements about your EI services or if you feel that a federal or state statute or regulation has been violated. The following procedures are only for children under the age of three.

• Informal ways to resolve your concerns - You can have discussions with your EI specialist, administrators at your EI provider agency (pdf), King County DDD Early Intervention Program Manager, or ITEIP staff (external) to see if you can resolve any concerns you have.
• Formal Mediation - A parent, guardian or surrogate parent can request mediation at any time. Family participation is voluntary and free of charge. A Mediation brochure that describes this process is available at www1.dshs.wa.gov/iteip (external)
• Due Process Hearing - A parent, guardian or surrogate parent can request a due process hearing at any time. This is a formal hearing process that you must request in writing. For more information, you can access the Parents Rights Brochure at www1.dshs.wa.gov/iteip (external)
• Citizen’s Complaint Process - A citizen’s complaint can be filed by anyone who feels an agency or EI provider has violated a requirement, policy or procedure. A Citizen’s Complaint brochure that describes this process is available at www1.dshs.wa.gov/iteip (external)