Early On Michigan

Early On is Michigan's system for helping families of infants and toddlers, birth to age 3 who have developmental delay(s) and/or disabilities. Early On supports and partners with families to promote the development of their infants and toddlers in developmental areas, such as:

  • physical (reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking)
  • cognitive (thinking, learning, solving problems)
  • communication (talking, listening, understanding, gesturing)
  • social-emotional (feeling secure, able to calm, playing with others)
  • self-help (eating, dressing)

Early On partners with families, using their daily routines to work on supporting the growth and development of their babies.

During the first three years of life, a baby's brain grows and changes dramatically.  Early On emphasizes early identification and early referral to minimize delays and maximize developmental outcomes. Understanding your child's development may help you recognize if your child needs a referral.  Check out the developmental milestones to learn more, and complete the referral form if you have concerns.  

How does it work?

Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Complete our referral form.
    You can click here to begin an online referral or call us at 1-800-EarlyOn (1-800-327-5966) and let us help you complete the form. We have available translation services if you need them.
  2. We meet with your child and your family.
    Your family will be assigned a service coordinator. He or she will be in charge of setting up the appointment for an evaluation. Your Early On team will look at how your child grows and learns (e.g. thinking, talking, moving, hearing, seeing, responding to others, and taking care of basic needs).
  3. Together we establish a plan.
    After your child's evaluation and assessment are complete, eligible children and their families will participate in an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meeting. At this meeting, you and your Early On team will write your IFSP using all of the information that has been gathered so far about your child and your family.
  4. Services are delivered.
    Your service coordinator will support your family the entire time you're in Early On. Your service coordinator is your main contact and will: make sure your family understands your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), help your family understand your rights (procedural safeguards), ensure that your services are delivered on time, and continuously seek appropriate services and supports to benefit the development of your child during his or her time in Early On.