What is Early Intervention?

Early Intervention (EI) is a family-focused program that emphasizes the unique needs of a child within their family unit. Children who are under three years of age who have a developmental disability or a developmental delay, with certain diagnosed conditions, or whose circumstances are likely to result in significant developmental problems may be eligible for Early Intervention services. You can visit Rhode Island's Early Intervention website at Rhode Island DHS - Early Intervention for more information. There are several Early Intervention certified providers throughout Rhode Island. Please see the links below to visit Early Intervention provider websites. 

How can you gain experience working in Early Intervention?

Most of the Early Intervention certified providers in Rhode Island offer internship opportunities for students. Please see the links below to view a brief description of  each site's requirements and expectations for interns. Links to Early Intervention provider websites are also found below. 

Early Intervention Internship Opportunities 

students: please contact our office before contacting an internship site directly. Thank you!

Early Intervention Internship opportunities are available for both graduate and undergraduate students.  For help in setting up your internship, please contact the Early Intervention Recruitment and Retention Office at 401-874-4036.  We will be able to assist you in arranging an internship with a certified EI site.  Internship opportunities are available for varying numbers of hours and credits. Hours are determined by the student's program of study as defined in his/her course requirements.

If you are interested in applying for an internship opportunity, please complete the Intern Contact Form and email it to eigrant@etal.uri.edu.

Tools for current student interns or supervisors:

What do EI interns do? 

Depending on your discipline and experience, an internship in EI can offer you the following experiences:

• Attending agency orientations as well as staff trainings and meetings.

• Gaining skills in the areas of professional conduct, work etiquette, and co-worker relations.

• Learning EI eligibility criteria.

• Understanding the role that a service coordinator serves within EI.

• Shadowing EI staff on home visits to ensure that services are being provided appropriately and are still necessary. Students are encouraged to attend home visits with practitioners outside of the student's field of study.

• Providing appropriate play activities for children while meetings are held with parents during home visits.

• Visiting families in their home to provide counseling and training.

• Offering casework, psychological and supportive services.

• Assisting with evaluations, under the supervision of an EI practitioner.

• Providing health services such as nursing, occupational therapy, or physical therapy.

• Assisting with nutrition and medical services.

• Delivering speech, language and hearing services.

• Helping with office work, including processing intake phone calls, clerical work and preparation of materials to use with families during home visits.

How to make a difference in the life of a child and a family!

Early Intervention provides many opportunities for interns to learn and enhance real world, marketable skills. During an EI internship, you will acquire:

• Skills in developing and maintaining a collaborative team approach

• Knowledge of Early Intervention disciplines

• Successful strategies to work one-on-one with children and their families

• Methods to deliver services in a variety of home-based and community environments

For more information about the URI EI Internship program, please view our brochure at the following link: URI EI Brochure.

Students can choose from several options to earn credit with an EI internship:

1. HDF undergraduate students can enroll in HDF 480/481.

2. Students who are interested in pursuing an internship for credit through URI's  Office of Internships and Experiential Education should visit the OIEE website for more information.

3. Graduate students can register for internship credits through their home department.

4. Students from other colleges/universities are also eligible to participate. Call our office for more details.

Children With Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN):

If you are a student interested in a career with CSHCN from ages 3-18, please click the link below for more information about internship sites providing opportunities working this population.

CSHCN information sheet

For More Information:

students: please contact our office before contacting an internship site directly. Thank you!

For more information about Early Intervention in Rhode Island

please visit the following EI websites:

DHS Homepage:  RI DHS - Early Intervention

The project is funded by the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, at Rhode Island College, and the Rhode Island Department of Human Services.