For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early intervention is key.
Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) is a Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP). The purpose of the benefit is to provide medically necessary early intervention for children, youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related conditions. The benefit helps promote people’s independence and participation in family, school and community life. It also helps educate, train and support caregivers and families, as well as improve long-term outcomes and the quality of life for people and their families. For more information on eligibility and how to apply for EIDBI services, see the EIDBI 101 for Families training.
EIDBI 101 is also captioned in Hmong, Somali and Spanish for families.
Schedule a Comprehensive evaluation with a provider in the Directory by searching ‘Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention’ and then ‘CMDE assessments.’ The Comprehensive Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (CMDE) provider will help determine eligibility and medical necessity for EIDBI services.
Use the EIDBI referral form.
Explore the Pathway to EIDBI Services for Families online tool below to find an EIDBI provider or make a referral to EIDBI services.
You can also find EIDBI providers in your area on this map. There is a tab with providers across the state of MN and a specific tab for providers located in the Metro. When you hover over a specific location, you will see the name of the EIDBI provider agency, phone number for referral and a link to their website for more information. Keep in mind that some providers may also offer tele-health services to reach families in remote locations if they are not available in-person.
The EIDBI Welcome Letter for Caregivers provides more information on the program once you get started.
To explore additional services and supports for which a person may be eligible, use the autism services and supports navigation tool.
Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) is a rehabilitative mental health package covered by Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP). CTSS is a mental health service for children who require varying therapeutic and rehabilitative levels of intervention. In addition to community services, CTSS is also available as a flexible package of mental health services for students who require varying therapeutic and rehabilitative levels of intervention. The services are time-limited interventions to reach treatment outcomes identified in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Behavioral health home services provide a team approach that assists people with navigating and coordinating across primary care, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, long-term services and supports, and social services.
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF) provide inpatient treatment, such as therapeutic services and discharge planning to children and youth under age 21 with complex mental health conditions in a residential facility rather than a hospital.
There are also additional children's mental health programs and services based on their level of need, including but not limited to, Certified Family Peer Specialist, Intensive Treatment to Foster Care and Partial Hospitalization Programs. To access services, contact your child's health care provider, health care plan, county or tribe (PDF) for information and referrals.
Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services (ARMHS) can provide individuals with:
Adult day treatment is a short-term, community-based mental health program consisting of group psychotherapy, rehabilitative services and other therapeutic group services provided by a multidisciplinary team. Adult day treatment services are linked to goals and objectives identified in an individual’s treatment plan, which will lead to improvement in the person’s mental illness.
Crisis services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you or someone you care about is having a mental health crisis. Mental health crisis phone numbers are listed by county. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides help and you can text or call 988. People should call 911 if they suspect drug overdose or need immediate medical help.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. Minnesota has specific Lifeline centers that connect callers to nearby or state-specific resources and services quickly and efficiently.
Interpretation services are available through calling the number. Currently, chat and text are only available in English.
Fast Tracker is a virtual community and health care connection resource. It connects individuals, families, mental health and substance use disorder providers, physicians, care coordinators, and others with a real-time, searchable directory of mental health and substance use disorder resources and their availability within Minnesota.
This infographic provides information on services available based on the child’s level of need.
Home and Community Based Service Waivers offer states the flexibility to develop and implement community alternatives for Medicaid-eligible people with disabilities and chronic health care needs who would otherwise receive services in a hospital, nursing facility or Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (ICF/DD).
Consumer-Directed Community Supports (CDCS) is a unique service option that gives you flexibility and responsibility to direct your services and supports. CDCS may include services, supports and items currently available through the Medical Assistance waivers, as well as additional services.
DHS designed a CDCS online learning module for people who receive services and families interested in learning how to self-direct their services through CDCS. The information in this course is intended to help people on waivers or Alternative Care (AC) understand this service option and to help them decide whether CDCS is right for them.
The Community Based Services Manual (CBSM) is a resource for lead agencies who administer home and community-based services that support older adults and people with disabilities.
Home care offers medical and health-related services and assistance with day-to-day activities to people in their home. Home care can provide short-term care for people moving from a hospital or nursing home back to their home or continuing care to people who have ongoing needs.
Personal care assistance services help a person with day-to-day activities in their home and community. PCAs help people with activities of daily living, health-related procedures and tasks, observation and redirection of behaviors and instrumental activities of daily living for adults. PCA services are available to eligible people enrolled in a Minnesota Health Care Program.
Direct Support Connect is a job board hosted by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. It is a job board and hiring resource for direct support workers, such as Personal Care Assistants (PCAs) or community health workers.
Family Support Grant (FSG) provides state cash grants to families of children with disabilities. The goal of the program is to prevent or delay the out-of-home placement of children and promote family health and social well-being by facilitating access to family-centered services and supports.
Consumer Support Grant (CSG) is a state-funded alternative to Medicaid home care services of home health aide, personal care assistance and/or private duty nursing. Through cash grants, the CSG Program provides consumers with greater flexibility and freedom of choice in service selection, payment rates, service delivery specifications and employment of service providers.
Visit Healthcare coverage and Economic Assistance for more financial assistance resources.
What is respite?
Respite care services provide short-term relief for the family member(s) or primary caregiver who are normally providing care. Respite care services can provide families and caregivers a much needed break while offering a safe environment for their children.
The goals of respite care services are to reduce family stress by providing relief from day-to-day care and to enable families to care for their children at home. Services may be provided in the person’s home, licensed foster home or in a center-based setting.
Eligibility and Funding for Respite Care
Respite care is funded by the county or tribal agency in which the person resides, through waiver funds, or may be purchased privately. To determine eligibility, contact your local county or tribal office.
How do I find a provider?
For a list of providers statewide, go to www.minnesotahelp.info and click on “Start a Search.” You can then search “Respite” and narrow by geographical area.
Why is respite important?
Self-care is very important, especially for families caring for someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Accessing respite care will allow you to:
Remember, you are not alone. County, school and community resources are very committed to helping your child and family. Respite care services give you and your family a chance to re-energize and refocus.
Other options for accessing respite
Make connections with other families. This is helpful for many reasons. Other parents and caregivers can offer encouragement and support based on their own lived experiences. They may also be able to suggest additional supports or services that they found helpful.
By building a network of community supports, you will have a variety of resources to turn to.
Crisis respite
There are also crisis respite services available.
There are different ways to access Minnesota Healthcare Programs and Services depending on the type of healthcare coverage you have. If you do not currently have healthcare coverage, visit Healthcare Coverage to explore your options.
MnChoices is a person-centered assessment and planning tool used by counties, tribal nations and managed-care organizations to help people with disabilities make decisions about long-term services and support needs. Learn more about the MnChoices assessment.
All Minnesotans, of any age with disabilities or chronic care needs, may ask for an assessment. You do not need to be eligible for Medical Assistance or any other publicly funded program to receive an assessment. However, to receive many of the services available following an assessment, a person will need to be eligible for Medical Assistance or another publicly funded program.
MnCHOICES Assessment brochure – Steps to Get Help answers the questions:
A person of any age, with a disability or in need of long-term care, can ask for a MnCHOICES assessment, by contacting any of these places:
Minnesota is moving toward person-centered practices in all areas of service delivery. As a state, Minnesota strives to make sure everyone who receives services can live, learn, work and enjoy life in the most integrated setting. The goal is for people to lead lives that are meaningful to them. To do this, we must have a person-centered support system that helps people:
With the help of focus groups composed of people with disabilities, the Disability Hub MN created Person-centered planning guidebook (PDF). It can help people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) apply person-centered principles to their life. It also helps families and case managers learn and activate person-centered processes. It is helpful to create a person-centered plan at any time throughout the lifespan. If the person, family or team is preparing for a transition, such as leaving home, finding a job or are just uncertain about the next steps, a person-centered plan can help. If the person is seeking more balance in their life or is concerned that their voice is not being heard, reach out to a planning facilitator for help.
The Charting the LifeCourse™ framework and tools can also be used in your own life, for your family members or in your work at any stage of life.
Planning facilitators
To find a facilitator near you, see the regional listing of available person-centered planning facilitators (XLS). If you don't know which region you live in, see the map on the Regional Resource Specialist (RRS) Geographic Area eDoc (PDF). To help you find a good match, see questions to ask potential facilitators (PDF). Person-centered planning facilitators who would like to be added to this list or update their information may fill out this online form.
For questions or to request help to transition to person-centered practices, contact the DHS Disability Services Division Response Center or reach the frequently asked questions about formal person-centered planning.
MN Positive Behavior Support Network
The Minnesota Positive Behavior Support (MNPBS) Network brings together people who are using positive behavior support from across the state to collaborate and to encourage interagency collaboration. This MNPBS Brochure for Children and Families (PDF) is designed for providers in primary care settings to distribute to parents who have concerns about their child’s behavior and need positive strategies to address it.
Home and Community Network of the Association of Positive Behavior Support
The Home and Community Network of the Association of Positive Behavior Support (HCPBS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding and enhancing the application of PBS principles across home and community settings, contexts, and the lifespan for people with behavioral challenges (including intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses and seniors who require memory care and other related services) and the systems that support them.
People who provide services and supports for people who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or related conditions must conduct assessments and provider services in a culturally responsive and sensitive way. Proper diagnosis and evaluation helps the person and family make informed choices and ensures they are referred to the right services and supports. Below are resources and supports that will help you provide culturally responsive services.
Improving Cultural Competence (PDF) developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Refugee resettlement program is a federally funded office in the Minnesota Department of Human Services that supports the effective resettlement of refugees in Minnesota, and ensures their basic needs are met so they can live in dignity and achieve their highest potential. This office ensures accessibility to mainstream programs for people with refugee status, distributes federal dollars to local agencies for supplemental services, and provides education and information about refugees in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services has a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Coordinator. You can email them or call 651-431-4018.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Minnesota can be a resource to help you. Sometimes certain communities face unique challenges in accessing behavioral health treatment and receiving care that is free from racism, homophobia and other biases. There may also be stigma and shame surrounding seeking outside resources and supports. NAMI Minnesota champions justice, dignity and respect for all people affected by mental illnesses. Through education, support and advocacy we strive to eliminate the pervasive stigma of mental illnesses, affect positive changes in the mental health system, and increase the public and professional understanding of mental illnesses.
Case management services help people connect to the services and supports they need. Case managers assess a person’s needs and help connect the person and family to appropriate community resources, such as mental, educational, health, vocational, recreational, social, and other necessary services.
Children with autism may be eligible for various types of case management services, including:
Requesting case management:
Telehealth is the delivery or consultation of health care services through real time, two-way interactive audio and visual communications. Telehealth facilitates assessment, diagnosis consultation, treatment, education and care management. Consult with your provider to determine if the services you, your child or family are receiving are accessible via telehealth. If you are not currently working with a provider, contact your local county or tribal agency or case manager to explore service options.
The TeleOutreach Center at the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain has brought together researchers, clinical pediatric providers, and developmental specialists to use technology to understand and address barriers to assessment and intervention for children, youth, and adults with developmental and mental health needs, and their families. The TeleOutreach Center is focused on the following objectives:
