If you have a quiet worry about how your baby or toddler is growing, talking, moving, or connecting, you do not have to wait and watch alone. Early Intervention in Colorado is a statewide, no-cost program for children from birth until their third birthday who have a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition. There are no income requirements, you do not need a doctor’s referral to start, and an evaluation will not cost you anything.
I work as a clinician with young children and their families across the state, and the questions I hear most are simple ones. How do I know if my child qualifies? Who pays for it? What happens when my child turns three? This guide walks through the program clearly, and it also explains where therapies like ABA fit alongside it, so you can take the next step with less guesswork.
What Early Intervention Colorado is and who it helps
Early Intervention Colorado is the state’s version of a federal program created under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Every state runs one, and each runs it a little differently. In Colorado, the program is overseen by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), which became the lead agency when the department launched in July 2022. The rules that govern it live in state regulation at 8 CCR 1405-1, tied to Colorado statute.
The point of the program is steady, practical support during the years when young brains are growing fastest. It connects families with services and with a coordinator who helps you navigate the whole process.
The age window that shapes eligibility
Early Intervention serves children from birth up to their third birthday. That window is deliberate. The first three years are a period of rapid brain development, and well-timed support during this stretch can help children build communication, movement, and social skills inside their everyday routines.
Because the program ends at age three, timing affects how much support a child can receive through it. A referral at 14 months gives a family far more runway than a referral at 33 months, which is one reason I encourage parents to act on a concern rather than file it away for later.
The two main ways a child qualifies
A child can become eligible for Early Intervention Colorado in one of two main ways:
- A measured developmental delay. A qualified team evaluates your child and finds a delay of at least 25 percent in one or more areas of development, compared with other children the same age. Those areas include communication, motor skills, cognition, social-emotional development, and adaptive (self-care) skills.
- An established condition. Some children qualify because they have a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of leading to a significant delay, even if a delay is not visible yet. Conditions on Colorado’s established-condition list can include certain genetic, neurological, and developmental diagnoses.
A formal autism diagnosis is not required to be evaluated for Early Intervention. If you are seeing differences in how your child communicates, plays, or responds to people, that concern alone is enough reason to ask for an evaluation.
How the referral and evaluation process works
The path into the program is more approachable than many families expect. You do not need a referral letter, a long wait, or a stack of paperwork to get the conversation started.
Making a referral without a doctor’s note
In Colorado, a referral can come from almost anyone who has a concern, including you. A parent, a pediatrician, a child care provider, or a home visitor can all start the process. You can reach out through your local program (often run by a Community Centered Board or a certified early intervention service broker) or begin directly through the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, which hosts the Early Intervention Colorado information and referral details.
After a referral, the program assigns a service coordinator and arranges a free evaluation to determine eligibility. If your child qualifies, the next step is building a plan.
The IFSP and your service coordinator
Once a child is found eligible, the family and the team create an Individualized Family Service Plan, usually shortened to IFSP. This document is the heart of the program. It lists your child’s strengths, your priorities as a family, the outcomes you want to work toward, and the specific services your child will receive.
Your service coordinator stays with you throughout. They are your main point of contact, they help you access services, and they explain your legal rights along the way. If something feels unclear or off-track, this is the person to call first.
What early intervention services look like day to day
Families sometimes picture clinical rooms and waiting areas. Colorado’s program is built around the opposite idea, and that shapes everything about how support shows up in real life.
Support in your child’s natural environment
Early Intervention services are delivered in what the program calls natural environments. In plain terms, that means your home, your child care setting, or the places where your family already spends time. A provider might work on early words during a snack, on balance during play on the living room floor, or on turn-taking with a sibling.
Depending on the IFSP, services can include speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, developmental intervention, family education, assistive technology, and service coordination. The mix is built around your child, not pulled off a shelf.
Coaching parents, not just treating children
One feature of high-quality early intervention surprises new families: a lot of the work is aimed at the adults. Providers coach caregivers so the learning continues in the many hours between visits. A therapist who shows up twice a week cannot move the needle the way a parent can across daily routines, and good clinicians know it.
I think of one family I supported whose toddler had very few words and a lot of frustration around mealtimes. We spent less time drilling sounds and more time helping his parents notice the small moments where he was trying to communicate, then respond in ways that made those attempts pay off. The change that stuck was not something I did in a session. It was what his family carried into every breakfast after I left.
Where ABA therapy fits for toddlers in Colorado
Early Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are sometimes confused, and sometimes treated as rivals. In practice they answer different needs, and for many young children with autism they work well side by side. This is the part of the picture I see most closely in my own work.
How ABA and Early Intervention can work together
Early Intervention Colorado is a developmental program funded under Part C. ABA therapy is a distinct, evidence-based service that, for children with an autism diagnosis, is usually funded through Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or private insurance rather than through Part C itself.
A child can receive Early Intervention services and ABA therapy during the same stretch of life, with the teams coordinating so goals reinforce each other instead of competing.
If you are still learning the vocabulary, our plain-language overview of what ABA is is a good companion to this guide, and our broader look at ABA in Colorado covers how services are structured statewide.
What early, play-based ABA looks like
Modern ABA for a two-year-old does not look like a child sitting at a table running drills. Good early ABA is play-based and woven into the same daily routines the Early Intervention model relies on. Sessions happen during block play, snack, bath time, and trips to the park, because skills learned in real settings tend to carry into real life more reliably than skills practiced in isolation.
A toddler I worked with had stopped pointing and waving by around 18 months, which his parents noticed before anyone else did. Early, gentle, play-based support gave him room to rebuild those bids for connection at his own pace. I want to be careful here, because progress in this field is real but never guaranteed, and no honest clinician promises a fixed outcome. What I can say is that many young children make meaningful gains when support starts early and the family is part of the team.
It also helps to understand who is on that team. Day-to-day sessions are often led by a Registered Behavior Technician under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and our guide to the RBT and BCBA roles breaks down how that works.
Paying for early support in Colorado
Cost is the worry I hear underneath almost every other question, so it deserves a clear answer. The Early Intervention program and the therapy services that can sit alongside it are funded through different channels, and most families are not asked to carry the bill.
The Early Intervention program itself
Early Intervention Colorado does not charge family fees, and services on the IFSP are provided at no cost to participating families. There are no income requirements to take part. Your service coordinator works with you to sort out funding for the services in your plan, drawing on the program, Medicaid, and private insurance as appropriate, so cost does not become the reason a child goes without support.
Health First Colorado, EPSDT, and private insurance
When a child has an autism diagnosis and a team determines that ABA therapy is medically necessary, funding usually comes from one of two places:
- Health First Colorado (Medicaid). ABA is a covered benefit for eligible children under 21 through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit, with no arbitrary visit cap on medically necessary care.
- Private insurance. Colorado law requires many private health plans to cover autism treatment, including ABA, for families whose plans fall under the state mandate. Coverage details still vary by plan, so verifying benefits before you start is always worth the call.
If you are not sure what your plan covers, the team at Achieve ABA’s services can verify your benefits and walk you through the options before anything begins. You can also see the full range of support on our ABA services page.
What happens when your child turns three
The third birthday is a real milestone in this system, and planning for it is part of the program rather than an afterthought. Families who understand the transition early tend to navigate it with far less stress.
Moving from Part C to Part B
When a child ages out of Early Intervention at three, support does not simply stop. Children who still need help may move into preschool special education services under Part B of IDEA, accessed through your local school district’s Child Find team at the Colorado Department of Education. The team evaluates whether a child qualifies and, if so, builds an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Your service coordinator helps set up this handoff before the birthday arrives.
The Extended Part C option
Colorado also adopted an Extended Part C option in 2022, which allows early intervention services to continue past a child’s third birthday in certain defined situations rather than transitioning immediately. Whether it applies depends on timing and individual circumstances, and the program publishes the eligibility window each year. Your coordinator can tell you whether your child fits the criteria.
Getting started with early support across Colorado
Wherever you live in the state, help is within reach, and you do not have to figure out every step before you make the first one. Achieve ABA Therapy Group provides in-home ABA therapy to families statewide, and our teams work alongside the developmental supports families already receive through Early Intervention.
We serve communities up and down the Front Range and beyond, including Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Lakewood, and Fort Collins.
You will also find dedicated teams in Pueblo, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Centennial, and Boulder. If you do not see your town, our full Colorado locations page lists everywhere we reach.
Summer can be a quiet stretch where hard-won routines slip. For families who want to keep momentum through the break, our summer ABA therapy keeps skill-building going season to season.
Ready to talk it through? If you are weighing Early Intervention, an autism evaluation, or ABA therapy for your child, our Colorado team is glad to answer questions and help you understand your options, with no pressure to commit. Call 720-463-9000 or contact Achieve ABA to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Is Early Intervention Colorado really free?
Yes. Early Intervention Colorado does not charge family fees, and services listed on a child’s IFSP are provided at no cost to participating families. There are no income requirements to take part, and the eligibility evaluation is also free.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to start?
No. A referral can come from a parent, a pediatrician, a child care provider, or another concerned adult. You can begin the process yourself by contacting your local early intervention program or the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
What age does Early Intervention cover in Colorado?
The program serves children from birth until their third birthday. After that, children who still need support may transition to preschool special education under Part B through their school district’s Child Find team, and some may qualify for Colorado’s Extended Part C option.
How does my child qualify for Early Intervention?
A child can qualify with a measured developmental delay of at least 25 percent in one or more areas, or with a diagnosed established condition that has a high probability of causing a significant delay. A formal autism diagnosis is not required to be evaluated.
Is ABA therapy part of Early Intervention Colorado?
ABA is generally a separate service from the Part C program. For children with an autism diagnosis, ABA is usually funded through Health First Colorado (Medicaid) via EPSDT or through private insurance, and it can be provided alongside Early Intervention services so the teams coordinate goals.
Does Colorado Medicaid cover ABA therapy for toddlers?
Health First Colorado covers ABA as a benefit for eligible children under 21 through EPSDT when a team determines it is medically necessary, with no arbitrary visit cap on medically necessary care. Eligibility and authorization steps apply, so it is worth verifying benefits before starting.
Sources:
Sources:
- https://cdec.colorado.gov/early-intervention-for-infants-and-toddlers
- https://cdec.colorado.gov/for-partners/programs-to-support-families
- https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=10764
- https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/childfindpreschoolsped/early-childhood-special-education-resources-and-guidance
- https://hcpf.colorado.gov/pediatric-behavioral-therapies-information-providers
- https://hcpf.colorado.gov/childrenandyouth
- https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/formula-grants/formula-grants-special-populations/idea-early-intervention-program-infants-and-toddlers-disabilities-part-c
- https://sites.ed.gov/idea/early-learning-early-childhood/
- https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/autism-services
- https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/media/pdfs/CDC-LTSAE-Brochure-Eng_FNL2-2021-508.pdf
About the author. This article was written by a member of the clinical team at Achieve ABA Therapy Group, a Colorado provider of in-home ABA therapy for children with autism. The perspective reflects direct experience supporting young children and their families, paired with current Colorado program guidance. It is general information, not medical or legal advice, and is not a substitute for an evaluation from a qualified provider.