Military medical departments provide Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), on military installations supported by Department of Defense (DoD) schools.

    DoD Instruction 1342.12, DoD Instruction 1342.12, June 17, 2015 (whs.mil), provides broad policy for implementing EDIS.  The Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) Regulation (R40-53.pdf (army.mil)) provides detailed guidance on how the Army operates Early Intervention Services (EIS) within EDIS programs.

    Army Medical Command operates EDIS in a variety of locations.  EDIS programs exist at eight Army installations in the contiguous United States, one in Puerto Rico, and eight overseas military communities (scattered throughout four European countries and Korea).  To find out more about EDIS program locations click     here.

    Our website provides up-to-date information and resources for EDIS stakeholders, who include Families, providers, administrators, military commands, educators at the     Department of Defense Educational Activity and the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), to name a few.

    Mission, Vision, & Goals

    The Mission of Educational Developmental Intervention Services is to fulfill the requirements of Public Law 102-119, directing the Department of Defense (DoD) to implement the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for eligible children of DoD Families in certain/specific locations.

    The     Vision of EDIS is to provide relationship- and routines-based support and services to eligible children and Families that maximize children’s potential to learn and become successful people.

    The     Goal of EDIS is to provide high-quality, evidence-based services resulting in positive outcomes for children and Families.

    Guiding Principles

    EDIS recognizes the importance of Family in the development of young children. As such, EDIS works in partnership with Families, providing services that support parents’ needs and priorities and delivering family-centered services within the Family and child’s natural environment.

    EDIS knows the first three years of a child’s life are critical years for learning, and infants and toddlers learn best through everyday experiences and interactions with familiar people within familiar contexts. Accordingly, EDIS helps Families identify and enhance natural learning opportunities for their children.

    EDIS respects the relationship-based nature of early intervention and the unique demands placed on every Family. Therefore, EDIS assures that each Family has one consistent early interventionist who understands and keeps abreast of the changing interests, strengths, and demands in the Family’s life. EDIS primary providers bring in other services and supports as needed to support the Family’s achievement of their outcomes.

    Early Intervention Services (Birth to age 3-years)

    Our goal in the Early Intervention Services program is to support Families in their efforts to support their children’s growth, development, and learning. Families may be eligible for early intervention services if they have a child, aged birth to three years, with a documented developmental delay or a diagnosed physical or mental condition with a high probability of developing a developmental delay.

    EDIS may be accessed in two ways. Referrals can come from medical professionals or Families themselves. Sometimes, the signs of developmental delay or risk factors for delay are apparent at birth or in the early months. These may be identified in the newborn nursery, during well-baby checks, or during routine health care visits. Other times, parents will notice that their child is not developing as expected.

    All children referred to EDIS must receive a timely response to the referral to determine eligibility for services.