Programs and Projects

Early Intervention Colorado NICU Project

The NICU Project is a state level project that focuses on child identification, referral, service coordination, and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) development for Part C eligible infants who are hospitalized in one of the ten Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in the Denver metro area. The NICU Project works in collaboration with the local Early Intervention Colorado program and an infant’s primary medical team to support families during their infant’s inpatient stay to identify needed supports, access early intervention services and community resources, and ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home. Infants are referred to the NICU Project by hospital staff either because they have been diagnosed with a physical or mental condition known to have a high probability of resulting in significant delays in development or because they are demonstrating developmental delays. For more information about the NICU Project please visit their website by clicking here.

Major Goals:  
  1. To serve as the single point of entry for, and provides consultation, technical assistance, and public awareness to hospital personnel in the ten level III NICUs in the Denver metro area to support the early identification and referral of newborns who may be eligible for Part C early intervention services and to connect families immediately to appropriate community resources and supports. The ten level III NICUs in the Denver metro area that the NICU Project works within are: The Children’s Hospital, Denver Health Medical Center, Littleton Adventist Hospital, Lutheran Medical Center, Parker Adventist Hospital, Presbyterian Saint Luke’s Medical Center, Rose Medical Center, Saint Joseph Hospital, Swedish Medical Center, and University Hospital.
  2. To serve as a link between the referring hospital and the local Early Intervention Colorado program in the family’s county of residence while the infant is hospitalized. The NICU Service Coordinator works in collaboration with the local Early Intervention Colorado program to:
    • Ensure that families understand their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)
    • Explain the eligibility determination process for the infant
    • Develop an IFSP in partnership with the infant’s primary medical team
    • Ensure that families know how to access early intervention supports and services
    • Help families access other community supports and resources as needed
  3. To provide technical assistance and consultation to community level early intervention personnel as well as staff members of level III NICUs outside of the Denver metro area to ensure a consistent, statewide process for identification and referral into the Early Intervention Colorado system.
  4. To maintain data in order to integrate the collection of data from the NICU Project into the state’s overall data collection efforts. The NICU Project also provides data regarding referral patterns, IFSP development, diagnoses, and demographic trends to local Early Intervention Colorado programs and NICU staff members on a regular basis.
Funding Source:
This project is funded by the Colorado Division of Developmental Disabilities, Early Intervention Colorado, Part C funding.

Contact Person:
Annie Immele, MSW
NICU Project Director
13121 E. East 17th Ave., C234
Denver, CO 80262
303-724-7637
Annie.Immele@ucdenver.edu

Staff:
Annie Immele, MSW, NICU Project Director
Alyson Hatten, MS, CRC, NICU Service Coordinator
Maria Eugenia Marin, NICU Service Coordinator
Michael Maza, MS, MA, NICU Service Coordinator