A child birth to three may be eligible for Early Supports & Services if he/she has at least a 33% delay in one or more developmental areas, or an established condition with a diagnosis of a physical or mental condition that would impact the child's development. A child may also be eligible because of risk factors of parents as well as the child's.
Towns served by Region 6 include Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua and Wilton
0 to 3 Years Old
After a child is determined eligible, specific goals are identified by the professional team/family/guardian, to address the developmental concerns. This is done through an Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP).
An evaluation process through play, involving the family and a team of professionals, determines eligibility. Your team may include professionals in the fields of physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, educator, behavioralist, social worker and other consultative services.
3 Years and Older
Eligibility for Gateways Community Services services is reciprocal state-wide.
Eligible individuals who plan to move to another region should contact
Gateways Community Services where they currently receive services to request that
records be transferred to the new region.
A variety of services are available for school age children, transitional
students (age 14 through high school) and adults. Adults in need of
services for which funding is not available are placed on a waiting
list.
At age 3, the criteria of eligibility for services through Gateways Community Services are defined by State Law RSA 171-A. Federal and State Standards require that an application be:
Contact the Intake Specialist at Gateways Community Services to request application forms. In addition to the application, the standards require the applicant to provide documentation of a developmental disability which may include:
Eligibility must be determined within 21 days of the date of application with an
extension to 35 days with written permission from the applicant. If
sufficient documentation is not available within the timeframe, the
applicant must be determined ineligible. Applicants determined ineligible
for any reason have a right to appeal and are provided with information
about the appeal process at the time of the decision. For children under
age 22, we may determine conditional eligibility when
the documentation does not indicate if the condition will continue to
present a severe impairment indefinitely. Eligibility for children who
are conditionally eligible may be reviewed at age 7, 10, or one year
prior to high school completion OR at any time new information is available.
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