Provider Class: Non-Licensed Providers

Provider Types

The following providers must apply and be approved in the Non-licensed Provider class of the CMS/ES Provider Management System in order to provide services to Early Steps eligible infants and toddlers and their families:

1. Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
2. Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA)
3. Hearing Specialist
4. Vision Specialist
5. Special Instruction Consultant

Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Requirements

• Board Certification from Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)
• One-year experience in early intervention: One year of experience in early intervention equals 1600 hours of hands-on experience with birth to five year-old children with special needs and/or developmental delays and their families. Time spent in a practicum or internship situation (up to 400 hours) may apply toward the 1600 hours of hands on experience. The Early Steps Certification of Experience Form (pdf - 47kb) must be used to document experience. Resumes are not considered certification of experience.
• Without one-year experience: In lieu of one-year experience, you must complete the Early Steps Provider Mentorship Form (pdf - 70kb) within six months of being employed or contracted by a Local Early Steps.
• Practicum or internship experiences completed in a Local Early Steps within the past 18 months, that match those of the mentorship can be documented on the Early Steps Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) and apply to the mentorship

Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA)
Requirements

• Board Certification from Behavior Analyst Certification Board BACB)
• Board Certified Associate Behavior Analysts must provide the name of their supervising BCBA who must be an enrolled and approved Early Steps provider.
• BCABAs must provide information about their supervising BCBA on the Early Steps Provider Supervision Form. (pdf - 53kb)
• One-year experience in early intervention: One year of experience in early intervention equals 1600 hours of hands-on experience with birth to five year-old children with special needs and/or developmental delays and their families. Time spent in a practicum or internship situation (up to 400 hours) may apply toward the 1600 hours of hands on experience. The Early Steps Certification of Experience Form (pdf - 47kb) must be used to document experience. Resumes are not considered certification of experience.
• Without one-year experience: In lieu of one-year experience, you must complete the Early Steps Provider Mentorship Form (pdf - 70kb) within six months of being employed or contracted by a Local Early Steps.
• Practicum or internship experiences completed in a Local Early Steps within the past 18 months, that match those of the mentorship can be documented on the Early Steps Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) and apply to the mentorship

Hearing Specialists
Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher for teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing with evidence of coursework/training specific to infant and toddler services and/or SKI*HI training
  or
  Specialization in a related field AND SKI*HI training AND evidence of mentoring specific to serving infants and toddlers with hearing loss and/or evidence of coursework/training specific to early childhood hearing loss educators.
• One-year experience in early intervention: One year of experience in early intervention equals 1600 hours of hands-on experience with birth to five year-old children with special needs and/or developmental delays and their families. Time spent in a practicum or internship situation (up to 400 hours) may apply toward the 1600 hours of hands on experience. The Early Steps Documentation of Experience Form (pdf - 47kb) must be used to document experience. Resumes are not considered certification of experience.
• Without one-year experience: In lieu of one-year experience, you must complete the Early Steps Provider Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) within six months of being employed or contracted by a Local Early Steps.
• Practicum or internship experiences completed in a Local Early Steps within the past 18 months, that match those of the mentorship can be documented on the Early Steps Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) and apply to the mentorship.

Vision Specialists
Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher for teacher of the visually impaired AND evidence of coursework specific to infant and toddler vision services and/or VIISA, training
  Or
  Specialization in a related field with evidence of coursework specific to infant and toddler vision services and/or VIISA, training
  Or
  Certification by the State Board of Education or certification by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals in Orientation & Mobility.
• One-year experience in early intervention: One year of experience in early intervention equals 1600 hours of hands-on experience with birth to five year-old children with special needs and/or developmental delays and their families. Time spent in a practicum or internship situation (up to 400 hours) may apply toward the 1600 hours of hands on experience. The Early Steps Documentation of Experience Form (pdf - 47kb) must be used to document experience. Resumes are not considered certification of experience.
• Without one-year experience: In lieu of one-year experience, you must complete the Early Steps Provider Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) within six months of being employed or contracted by a Local Early Steps.
• Practicum or internship experiences completed in a Local Early Steps within the past 18 months, that match those of the mentorship can be documented on the Early Steps Mentorship Documentation Form (pdf - 70kb) and apply to the mentorship.

Special Instruction Consultant
Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in one of the following areas: Early Childhood, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education, or Special Education.
  or
  An equivalent degree based on transcript review.
• At least three years clinical/classroom experience (combined) working with typical and special needs pre-kindergarten populations and two years of supervisory/administrative experience
  or
  Five years clinical/classroom experience (combined) working with typical and special needs pre-kindergarten populations.
• A Master’s degree in one of the above areas may be substituted for one year of the required experience; or a Doctorate degree in one of the above areas may be substituted for two years of the required experience.
• The Early Steps Certification of Experience Form for Special Instruction Consultants (pdf - 47kb) must be used to document experience. Resumes are not considered certification of experience.

Requirements for Temporary Approval to Begin Providing Services for All of the Non-licensed Providers

If you meet the requirements above and complete the online application, the following must be submitted before you may be assigned a temporary approval and begin providing services through a Local Early Steps:

1. Documentation of Education and Certificates.
2. Appropriate Documentation of Experience Form: This form must be completed and signed by past employers/supervisors to document your experience and practicum or internship. See links above for your provider type experience documentation form.
3. Current Professional Liability Insurance: A copy of the insurance policy face sheet and a letter from your employer confirming the coverage in your practice area under their policy is required if the employer is named on the face sheet as the insured.
4. Level II (FBI) Background Screening (current within last 5 years): This must be submitted to allow you to complete a mentorship, if required, and/or begin providing services. If you do not have a current Level II Background Screening, you may submit a fingerprint card to the CMS Provider Management Unit, Early Steps Specialist with a check for $53.25 submitted in the form of a cashier’s check or money order payable to the Department of Health. A current Florida Teaching Certificate will be accepted as sufficient documentation of a clear criminal background screening.
5. Terms and Conditions of Approval: (pdf - 50kb) This form is required of all Early Steps providers.

Requirements for Active Approval (effective for three years) for all of the Above Providers:

The following are required in order to be assigned an active approval:

1. Completion of Mentorship Documentation Form: (pdf - 70kb) Only applicable for those providers with a temporary approval without one year experience. A mentorship must be completed within six (6) months of hire or contract with a Local Early Steps.
2. Completion of Early Steps Online Orientation Modules (1-3): Must complete the three Early Steps Online Orientation Modules within ninety (90) days of application date.

Requirements for Application Renewal for all of the Non-licensed Providers:

Providers must renew their application every three (3) years and document thirty-six (36) hours of CEU/inservice training. All inservice hours must be related to at least one of the a href="documents/Professional_Competencies.pdf" target="_blank">Early Intervention Professional Competency Areas (pdf - 75kb)

Please note that your application cannot be approved until all required documentation is received.

Dual Enrollment

All providers in the Non-licensed Provider class may dually apply and be approved as an ITDS, if all requirements for ITDS approval are met.