Early intervention in
Essex County
Birth to age 3, what it covers, and what changes on the third birthday.
Free for families NJ FamilyCare and commercial plans Essex County only
What it is
The New Jersey Early Intervention System serves children from birth to age 3 with a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition likely to cause one. You do not need an autism diagnosis to be evaluated, and you do not need a doctor's referral. A parent can refer their own child.
What it costs
Evaluation and service coordination are free to the family. Ongoing services use a sliding cost share based on income and family size. Families are not turned away for inability to pay.
What happens at 3
Early Intervention ends on the third birthday and responsibility passes to your local school district, which must evaluate for preschool special education eligibility. This handover is where families most often lose momentum, because it is a different system with different paperwork. In Essex County that means your own municipal district, such as Belleville Public School District, Bloomfield Township School District, Cedar Grove Township School District.
- Ask for the transition planning conference well before the birthday, not at it.
- Get the Early Intervention reports in writing and give copies to the district.
- If you want ABA to continue past 3, start the insurance or PerformCare route in parallel. The district route and the medical route are separate, and running both is normal.
Running both at once
School-based support and clinically funded ABA are not alternatives. One is educational, the other medical. Families in Essex County commonly have both, and neither disqualifies you from the other.
Find ABA providers near you
Tell us what you need. We will point you to providers covering Essex County, and what to expect on cost and waiting.
Common questions
Do we need an autism diagnosis for Early Intervention?
No. Early Intervention evaluates on developmental concern. A diagnosis matters for insurance-funded ABA, not for getting an EI evaluation.
Who can refer a child?
Anyone, including a parent. You do not need a doctor to refer for you.
What happens the day our child turns 3?
Early Intervention ends and the school district becomes responsible for preschool special education. Start the transition conversation months earlier so there is no gap.