The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities, aged birth to 21, who are in need of early intervention or special education services.  In Rhode Island, the Child Outreach Screening Program serves as the vehicle for this requirement for children ages 3, 4, and 5. Child Outreach Screening Programs educate families concerning typical child development; build community awareness of resources available in the areas of education, medical/family support services, child care; and identify young children in need of further assessment. Child Outreach Screening is provided statewide by local school districts in the following areas: vision, hearing, speech/language, social/emotional and general development.  There is no cost to families for Child Outreach Screening. The goal of Child Outreach Screening is to provide screening for every 3, 4, and 5 year old Rhode Island child, each year prior to kindergarten. Local school districts report the percentage of the children screened through Child Outreach on an annual basis.

Child Outreach Contacts and Resources:

  Listing of Child Outreach Coordinators 2012

  Child Outreach Brochure (English)

  Child Outreach Brochure (Spanish)

  Child Outreach Guidelines

  Child Outreach Poster (English)

  Child Outreach Poster (Spanish)

  State and Local School District Child Outreach Screening Rates

Letter to Early Care and Education Providers