NEW Early Intervention Referral Portal
On October 15, 2025, the New York City Health Department’s Early Intervention Program announced the launch of an Early Intervention Referral Portal. The portal allows anyone (parents, childcare providers, health care providers, and community-based organizations) to submit an online referral for a child (birth through age 2 years and 10 months) to be assessed for early intervention services; it takes approximately ten minutes to complete and submit the referral. The portal is accessible in 13 languages.
If the child you are referring is older than 2 years and 10 months, you can refer the child to the Committee on Preschool Special Education. Call 311 and ask for the Committee on Preschool Special Education or visit https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/special-education/preschool-to-age-21/moving-to-preschool for more information.
Here’s a quick overview of the process:
Access the Portal: Visit the EI Referral Portal online. Select your preferred language from the available options.
Complete the Referral: Fill out the required information to request Early Intervention services for the child.
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Complete the electronic consent and Email Delivery: When prompted, sign the consent form electronically within the portal and provide the family's email address.
Parents/Guardians are recommended to be present to provide consent for the referral and email delivery.
Receive the Welcome Packet: Choose email or mail delivery to get the Welcome Packet sent directly to families.
Referrals can be submitted by using the EI Referral Portal at www.nyc.gov/health/ei-referral or by calling 311 and asking for Early Intervention.
The NYC EIP Central Referral Unit is no longer processing referrals submitted by fax. For more information, visit https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/early-intervention.page.
If you’re an Early Intervention provider, continue to submit referrals through the New York State EI-Hub system. Only use the referral portal when you are submitting a duplicate case.
