Under IDEA Part C, parents are a valued member of your child’s team and have many rights. It is PIC’s responsibility to make sure parents understand their rights and know how to seek resolution if problems arise. The booklet provided to you goes into your rights in great detail. This is a summary of those rights, but families are urged to review the booklet for more information.
Overview of Procedural Safeguards (Parent Rights) Within the Alaska EI/ILP, you, as a parent, have the following rights:
- The right to a multidisciplinary evaluation and assessment followed by the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) at the initial IFSP meeting, within 45 calendar days from referral.
- The right to receive evaluation, assessment, IFSP development, family service coordination, and procedural safeguards at no cost to families.
- The right to receive an evaluation, if you request and provide consent for it, at any time.
- If eligible under Part C, the right to receive appropriate early intervention services for your child and family as addressed in an IFSP.
- The right to refuse evaluations, assessments, and services.
- The right to be invited to and participate in all meetings in which a decision is expected to be made regarding a proposal to change the identification, evaluation, or placement of your child, or the provision of appropriate early intervention services to your child or family.
- The right to receive timely written notice before a change is proposed or refused in the identification, evaluation, or placement of your child, or in the provision of appropriate early intervention services to your child or family.
- The right to receive each early intervention service in natural environments to the extent appropriate to meet your child’s developmental needs.
- The right to maintain the confidentiality of personally identifiable information.
- The right to obtain an initial copy of your child’s early intervention record at no cost.
- The right to a copy of each evaluation, assessment, and IFSP which must be provided to you as soon as possible after each IFSP meeting.
- The right to inspect and review and, if appropriate, amend your child’s records.
- The right to request mediation and/or an impartial due process hearing to resolve parent/provider disagreements.
- The right to file an administrative complaint.
In addition to the rights noted above, you are entitled to be notified of specific procedural safeguards under Part C. These rights can be found on the State of Alaska EI/ILP Website, or a paper copy can be provided for you.