Family Centered Early Supports and Services (also known as FCESS) serves eligible babies, toddlers and their families by providing play-based individualized supports and services. FCESS services are provided in natural settings, most often in the family’s home or child care setting.

Our multi-disciplinary team of licensed pediatric therapists, certified early childhood educators and early intervention specialists offers developmental evaluations, services that address speech, movement, cognition, social emotional skills, feeding, sleeping, and self-care, service coordination, parent coaching, referral to other community resources, and assistance with transition to preschool services when appropriate and a child is no longer eligible for FCESS.

We serve children who are at risk for a significant developmental delay due to medical or social conditions, and children who have significant developmental delays or disabilities, including children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), behavioral issues, visual impairments, and hearing loss.

Rolling over, sitting, taking first steps and smiling are exciting moments for parents. These exciting moments are also considered developmental milestones and let us know that children are developing. Because all babies are different, they rarely do the same thing at exactly the same age. As a result, it’s not unusual for parents to have questions or concerns about their child’s development. You may wonder:

• Why isn’t my child crawling?
• Why can’t anyone understand what my child is saying?
• Are my child’s eyes working correctly?
• When should my child begin to eat solid food?
• Why can’t my child play alone?
• As a parent, you know your child best. If you are concerned that your child is not making progress or that the progress is slow, talk with your pediatrician or make a referral to Family Centered Early Supports and Services.

For eligibility questions or to apply for services from our Family Centered Early Supports & Services program, please contact our intake coordinator at 603-206-2732. 

For more information see our Family Centered Early Supports & Services program.

For an individual over 3 years old, an intake can be done for services under the Developmental Disability Waiver. In order to be eligible for the waiver, an individual needs to meet the following criteria as stated in the regulations. They must have a developmental disability;

“Developmental Disability” means “developmental disability” as defined in RSA 171-A:2, V, namely, “a disability:

(a) Which is attributable to an intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or a specific learning disability, or any other condition of an individual found to be closely related to an intellectual disability as it refers to general intellectual functioning or impairment in adaptive behavior or requires treatment similar to that required for persons with an intellectual disability; and

(b) Which originates before such individual attains age 22, has continued or can be expected to continue indefinitely, and constitutes a severe disability to such individual’s ability to function normally in society.”

In order to determine if an individual is eligible, the individual/guardian must supply the following documentation:

• Current IEP
• Physical from primary care doctor
• Psychological Assessment from with the past 3 years
• Any other additional testing which has been completed, if any
• Other documentation may be requested on a case by case basis

The documentation, along with a functional assessment performed by the Intake Coordinator, is sent electronically to Community Supports Network, Inc. (CNSI). They provide eligibility recommendations for each Area Agency in New Hampshire. In some cases, an eligibility file may go to Tier Two, where the state psychologist reviews the information. He will then give a recommendation as well.

Children may be determined conditionally eligible, which mean they are eligible until a certain age. At that point, they will need to complete a redetermination to see if they are still eligible.

Children and young adults under age 22 who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) will complete an intake under the Developmental Disability Waiver. 

For eligibility questions or to apply for services from our Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities program, please contact our intake coordinator at 603-206-2879. 

For more information see our Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities program.

For an individual with an Acquired Brain Disorder (ABD), the intake will require different documentation. In order to be eligible for this waiver, an individual must show the need for a “skilled nursing level of care”. The following documentation would be needed to complete an intake for the ABD Waiver:

1. Physical
2. Neuropsychological assessment from within the past six months
3. Any other evaluations (i.e. Functional, Mental Health, Speech, Occupational Therapy, etc) completed within the past year, if any
4. Hospital/Doctor documentation of condition (Admission or discharge documentation from injury, if available)
5. Medical information/documentation on status of condition

The documentation, along with a functional assessment performed by the Intake Coordinator, is sent electronically to Community Supports Network, Inc. (CNSI). They will provide an eligibility recommendation for Non-Waivered Case Management. This case management includes advocacy and providing resources to the individual. Once approved for Non-Waivered Case Management, the documentation will be sent to the Bureau for waiver eligibility. The Bureau has an ABD Committee that meets to determine if an individual meets the criteria set in the regulations.

Once determined eligible for either the DD or ABD waiver, a Family Support worker will be assigned to assist the individual/guardian on determining which services would best serve the individual. Examples of those services may include, but are not limited to: Respite, Camperships, In Home Supports, Day Services, and Residential Services. 

For eligibility questions or to apply for services from our Acquired Brain Disorders program, please contact our intake coordinator at 603-206-2879.

For more information see our Acquired Brain Disorders page.

What is the Kinship Program?

Financial help for families!

The Moore Center’s Kinship program is a wonderful new option that enables families to be compensated up to $2,100 per month (tax free) for caring for a loved one at home, in lieu of having them placed in a nursing home. It provides a better quality of life, while also offering financial support for the loved one who’s providing the care. It’s estimated that 80% of adults living at home who are elderly or have a disability receive care from a loved one, and a caregiver of a family member who qualifies for the Choices for Independence program can receive financial support from the State of New Hampshire. Learn more here.