(a) Pre-enrollment begins at the point of referral, includes the following activities, and ends when the parent signs the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or a final disposition is reached.
  (1) The contractor must assign an initial service coordinator for the family and document the name of the service coordinator in the child's record.
  (2) The contractor must provide the family the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Early Childhood Intervention Parent Handbook and document in the child's record that the following were explained to the parent:
    (A) the family's rights regarding eligibility determination and enrollment;
    (B) the early childhood intervention process for determining eligibility and enrollment; and
    (C) the types of early childhood intervention services that may be delivered to the child and the manner in which they may be provided.
  (3) The contractor must provide pre-IFSP service coordination as defined in 34 CFR §303.13(b)(11) and §303.34.
  (4) The contractor must collect information on the child throughout the pre-enrollment process.
  (5) The contractor must assist the child and family in gaining access to the evaluation and assessment process, including:
    (A) scheduling the interdisciplinary initial evaluation and assessment; and
    (B) preparing the family for the evaluation and assessment process.
  (6) The contractor must comply with all requirements in Subchapter B of this chapter (relating to Procedural Safeguards and Due Process Procedures).
(b) The contractor must explain to the family, before eligibility determination, the requirement to provide early childhood intervention services in the natural environment.
(c) The contractor must determine the need for and appoint a surrogate parent in accordance with 34 CFR §303.422 and §350.213 of this chapter (relating to Surrogate Parents).

Source Note: The provisions of this §350.708 adopted to be effective June 30, 2019, 44 TexReg 3280; transferred effective March 1, 2021, as published in the Texas Register February 5, 2021, 46 TexReg 941; amended to be effective March 17, 2022, 47 TexReg 1277