A Free Speech Check for Your Child, in Every State
Is your child under 3? Your state will check their speech for free. Any income. No doctor's note. You just make one phone call, and this page has your state's number.
Verified August 2026What Early Intervention Is
Since 1986, federal law has required every state to find and help babies and toddlers with delays. Every state runs a program for it. It is permanent, it is real, and it is free to start.
For speech, this is the front door. A late talker. A toddler who is hard to understand. A child who understands you but does not say words. This program exists exactly for that. And the part families hear least often: you can call yourself, today.
Is This for You?
If your child is under 3 and anything about their talking worries you, yes. There is no catch to check first.
Call This Week If
Your toddler says fewer words than other kids their age. Or is hard to understand. Or does not follow simple directions. Or lost words they used to say. Or people keep telling you “boys talk late” and your gut disagrees. A worried gut is reason enough. This check exists to answer exactly that worry.
If Your Child Is 3 or Older
This program has ended for you, but the same free check now lives at your public school. Write to the district's special education office and ask for a speech evaluation. For help beyond school, see your state on our funding map and the insurance guides below.
How It Works, in 5 Steps
Find your state in the table below.
Every state runs this program under its own name. Babies Can't Wait in Georgia. First Steps in Missouri. Same program underneath.
Call the number, or use the online form.
Say this: I want to refer my child for an Early Intervention evaluation. That is the whole script. You do not need a doctor's note. You do not need a diagnosis.
Say yes to the free check.
A small team looks at how your child communicates, usually at your home. It costs you nothing. That is the law, at every income level.
If your child qualifies, you get a plan.
The plan lists the help your child will get. Often that includes speech therapy. Many states give the services free. Some charge based on income, and they tell you before anything starts.
Before age 3, plan the switch to school services.
This program ends on the third birthday. Your coordinator helps move your child to free preschool services through the school district. Start that talk a few months early.
Call this week, not next month: the program ends on your child's third birthday no matter when you start. Families who call the week they first worry get months of free help that waiting families never see.
Your State's Phone Number
Checked August 2026 against each state's official page. If there is no statewide phone line, the link takes you to the right local contact.
| State | Program name | Phone | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama's Early Intervention System (AEIS) | 1-800-543-3098 | Online referral at NeverTooEarlyAL.org; Spanish line 1-866-450-2838 |
| Alaska | Early Intervention/Infant Learning Program (EI/ILP) | 1-877-477-3659 | Or refer directly to the local ILP grantee via the provider map |
| Arizona | Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) | 602-532-9960 | Online referral portal, no diagnosis needed |
| Arkansas | First Connections | 1-800-643-8258 | Online intake is the primary path; no diagnosis needed |
| California | Early Start | 800-515-2229 | The 800-515-BABY line connects families to their Regional Center |
| Colorado | Early Intervention Colorado | 833-733-3734 | Statewide referral line routes to local Community Centered Boards |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Birth to Three System | 800-505-7000 | All referrals via the 211 Child Development Infoline or birth23.org |
| Delaware | Birth to Three Early Intervention System | 302-283-7240 (New Castle) / 302-424-7300 (Kent & Sussex) | Two regional intake lines by county; parents can self-refer online |
| Florida | Early Steps | 800-218-0001 | Single statewide number and online portal, routed to your county program |
| Georgia | Babies Can't Wait | Online / local contact | Referral via Children 1st in your public health district (county finder on DPH site) |
| Hawaii | Early Intervention Section (EIS) | 808-594-0066 | H-KISS line; 1-800-235-5477 toll-free from Neighbor Islands |
| Idaho | Infant Toddler Program (ITP) | 1-800-926-2588 | Refer via 2-1-1, the online form, or email |
| Illinois | Early Intervention Program (Child and Family Connections) | 1-800-843-6154 | The 800 line locates the right regional CFC office |
| Indiana | First Steps | Online / local contact | No statewide line; contact the regional cluster intake office for your county |
| Iowa | Early ACCESS | 1-888-425-4371 | Handled by the Iowa Family Support Network (1-888-IAKIDS1) |
| Kansas | Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (tiny-k) | Online / local contact | Use the county/zip finder to contact your local tiny-k network |
| Kentucky | First Steps (Kentucky Early Intervention System) | 1-877-417-8377 | 1-877-41STEPS connects to district Point of Entry offices |
| Louisiana | EarlySteps | 1-866-327-5978 | 1-866-EarlySteps links to the regional entry point for your parish |
| Maine | Child Development Services (CDS) | 877-770-8883 | Statewide line; the regional CDS site follows up within 3 business days |
| Maryland | Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program (MITP) | 800-535-0182 | Online portal or your county's single point of entry |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Early Intervention | 800-905-8437 | EI Central Directory; referral goes to the local program for your town |
| Michigan | Early On Michigan | 1-800-327-5966 | 1-800-EARLY-ON or online referral; routed to local ISD |
| Minnesota | Help Me Grow Minnesota | 1-866-693-4769 | Referral forwarded to the local school district |
| Mississippi | First Steps Early Intervention Program | 1-800-451-3903 | Staff can complete the referral form over the phone |
| Missouri | First Steps | 1-866-583-2392 | Routes to the regional System Point of Entry |
| Montana | Montana Milestones (Part C) | Online / local contact | Online intake form; no statewide parent phone line published |
| Nebraska | Early Development Network | 1-888-806-6287 | ChildFind line routes to the local planning region team |
| Nevada | Nevada Early Intervention Services (NEIS) | 1-800-522-0066 | Project ASSIST central intake connects families to regional offices |
| New Hampshire | Family Centered Early Supports and Services (FCESS) | 800-852-3345 | Routes to regional intake programs run by Area Agencies |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Early Intervention System (NJEIS) | 888-653-4463 | Single statewide line routes to the regional point of entry |
| New Mexico | Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program | 1-877-696-1472 | One statewide referral line |
| New York | New York State Early Intervention Program | 800-522-5006 | Referral is to your county's EI program; NYC residents call 311 |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Infant-Toddler Program | 919-707-5520 | Referral goes to your local CDSA (16 statewide); finder on the NCDHHS site |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Early Intervention (Right Track) | 1-800-755-8529 | Right Track offers free screenings for any child under 3 |
| Ohio | Help Me Grow (Ohio Early Intervention) | 1-800-755-4769 | One central intake covers EI plus home visiting |
| Oklahoma | SoonerStart | 405-426-8494 | Online referral form accepted from any concerned individual |
| Oregon | Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) | Online / local contact | No statewide line; each county has its own referral agency via 9 regional programs |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Early Intervention | 800-692-7288 | CONNECT Helpline links families to their county program; covers birth to 5 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Early Intervention Program | Online / local contact | Contact a state-certified EI provider agency directly (list on EOHHS site) |
| South Carolina | BabyNet | 866-512-8881 | Central Referral Team line or online form |
| South Dakota | Birth to Three Connections | 1-800-305-3064 | Directs to the regional service coordinator for your county |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) | 1-800-852-7157 | Also accepts online referrals and the MyTN app |
| Texas | Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) | 512-438-2900 | Parents self-refer directly to their local ECI program via the HHSC program locator |
| Utah | Baby Watch Early Intervention Program | 1-800-961-4226 | Toll-free line routes families to their local EI provider |
| Vermont | Children's Integrated Services Early Intervention (CIS-EI) | Online / local contact | No statewide line; contact the regional CIS coordinator for your district |
| Virginia | Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia | 800-234-1448 | Central directory routes callers to each locality's point of entry |
| Washington | Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) | 1-800-322-2588 | Family Health Hotline connects to a local Family Resources Coordinator |
| Washington DC | Strong Start DC Early Intervention Program | 202-727-3665 | Online referral at eip.osse.dc.gov |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Birth to Three | 866-321-4728 | Connects to your Regional Administrative Unit; online referral available |
| Wisconsin | Birth to 3 Program | Online / local contact | County-administered; call your county contact from the DHS directory |
| Wyoming | Early Intervention and Education Program (EIEP) | 1-877-996-4769 | 877-WYO-GROW; 14 regional Child Development Centers |
Questions Families Actually Ask
Do I really not need a doctor's note?
Really. Parents can call directly, in every state. Your doctor can refer too, but you do not have to wait for that. Waiting is how families lose months.
My doctor said to wait and see. Should I?
You can check while you wait. The evaluation is free, and early months matter most for speech. If the team finds nothing, you get peace of mind. If they find something, you got help early. There is no downside.
Is it actually free?
The evaluation is free in every state. Full stop. Services after that are free in many states. Some states charge a little, based on income, and they tell you the cost before you start. No surprise bills.
My child is already 3. Did we miss it?
No. From age 3, the same right to a free check moves to your public school district. Call the district's special education office and ask, in writing, for a speech evaluation. That is free too.
Will this slow down private therapy?
No. Many families do both at once. And the evaluation report helps you with insurance, grants, and every other program on our funding map.
What happens at the evaluation?
Mostly play. A speech therapist or a small team plays with your child, asks about your day-to-day, and takes notes. Most parents say it felt like an hour of play with someone who explained things well.
Keep Reading
The Katie Beckett Waiver, Explained
A rule that gets kids with big medical needs full Medicaid, no matter what their parents earn. How it works in every state.
Read the guideHow Much Does Speech Therapy Cost?
Honest numbers: what a session and a first visit really cost, and six ways to pay less.
Read the guideDoes Insurance Cover Speech Therapy?
Sometimes. It comes down to a few lines in your plan. Here is what to ask on one phone call, and what to do if they say no.
Read the guideFree Help Now, the Right SLP Alongside
Many families use both: the state's free services plus a private speech therapist for extra practice. Find one near you in our free directory and bring your evaluation results.
Find an SLP near you