Section 2549. Due process

1. If a parent disagrees with the determination
  of the evaluator or the local early intervention official with regard to
  the eligibility for or provision of early intervention  services  or  if
  such official fails to act within such period of time as may be required
  by  this  title  or regulations of the commissioner, a parent may make a
  request in writing for mediation or an impartial hearing to resolve  the
  dispute;  provided, however, if a parent elects not to pursue mediation,
  such election shall  not  (a)  preclude  a  parent  from  requesting  an
  impartial  hearing or (b) constitute a failure to exhaust administrative
  remedies.
    2. A request for mediation shall be made  to  the  early  intervention
  official  for  the  municipality  in  which the child resides. Upon such
  request, the municipality shall notify a  community  dispute  resolution
  center  designated by the commissioner to provide mediation services for
  such municipality.    The  community  dispute  resolution  center  shall
  arrange for the mediation to be conducted at a place and time convenient
  to  the parent. Such mediation shall be at no cost to the parent. If all
  parties agree to the terms of a mediation  agreement,  a  copy  of  such
  agreement  shall be forwarded by the community dispute resolution center
  to the participating parties  and  the  service  coordinator  who  shall
  incorporate the provisions of such agreement into the IFSP no later than
  five  days  after receiving a copy of such agreement. If the parties are
  unable to reach agreement, in full or in part, the mediator shall inform
  the parent of the availability of the impartial hearing procedures.
    3. A parent may file a written request at any time  for  an  impartial
  hearing  with  the  commissioner or a designee provided, however, that a
  request for a hearing to contest a determination that  a  child  is  not
  eligible for services under this title must be made within six months of
  such  determination.  Upon receipt of such request, the commissioner, or
  the designee, shall promptly notify the parent, or a  person  designated
  by  the  parent,  and  other  appropriate parties in accordance with the
  regulations of the commissioner. Any such notice to the parent shall  be
  provided in the native language of such person whenever practicable and,
  if  not,  in  a manner to ensure notice to such person and shall include
  but not be limited to:
    (a) the procedural safeguards afforded to a parent;
    (b) the date, time and location for the impartial hearing, which shall
  be reasonably convenient for the parent;
    (c) the  procedures  for  the  appointment  of  an  impartial  hearing
  officer; and
    (d)  the  right  of the parent to appeal the decision of the impartial
  hearing to a court of competent jurisdiction.
    4. After receipt of notice from the commissioner of a parent's request
  for an impartial hearing, the early intervention official shall promptly
  notify  the  parent  as  to  whether  the  municipality  intends  to  be
  represented by an attorney at such hearing.
    5.  The impartial hearing shall be conducted by the hearing officer in
  accordance with the regulations of the commissioner.  The hearing  shall
  be  held,  and  a  decision  rendered,  within  thirty  days  after  the
  department receives the request for an impartial hearing except  to  the
  extent  that  the  parent  consents,  in  writing,  to an extension. The
  decision shall be in  writing  and  shall  state  the  reasons  for  the
  decision  and  shall  be  final  unless  appealed  by  a  party  to  the
  proceeding. A copy of the decision reached by the hearing officer  shall
  be  mailed  to the parent, any public or private agency that was a party
  to the hearing, the service coordinator, the department  and  any  state
  early  intervention  service  agency  with  an interest in the decision.
  Where ordered by the hearing  officer,  the  service  coordinator  shall

  modify  the  IFSP in accordance with the decision within five days after
  such decision.
    6. During the pendency of any mediation or impartial hearing conducted
  pursuant  to  this  section,  the  child and family shall, with parental
  consent, receive those early  intervention  services  that  are  not  in
  dispute or that are provided pursuant to the IFSP previously in effect.
    7. (a) All orders or determinations made hereunder shall be subject to
  review  as  provided  for in article seventy-eight of the civil practice
  law and rules. In any proceeding  under  article  seventy-eight  of  the
  civil  practice law and rules, the court may grant any relief authorized
  by the provisions of section seventy-eight hundred six of such  law  and
  rules  and  also  may,  in its discretion, remand the proceedings to the
  department for further consideration upon a finding  that  any  relevant
  and  material  evidence  is  then  available  which  was  not previously
  considered by the department.
    (b) A parent who, after completing mediation,  substantially  prevails
  in  an  impartial  hearing  or  a  judicial  challenge  to  an  order or
  determination under this title shall be entitled  to  reimbursement  for
  reasonable  attorney's  fees  incurred  in  such  impartial  hearing  or
  judicial challenge provided, however, that  the  parent  shall  only  be
  entitled  to  reimbursement for such fees for prevailing in an impartial
  hearing if the municipality was  represented  by  an  attorney  at  such
  impartial hearing.
    8.   (a)   The   early   intervention   official  shall  maintain  the
  confidentiality of all personally identifiable information regarding the
  children and families receiving early intervention services.  The  early
  intervention  official  shall  ensure  that no information regarding the
  conditions, services, needs, or other individual information regarding a
  child and family is communicated to any parties other than  the  service
  coordinator  and  service  providers  currently  serving  the  child and
  family, without the express written consent of the parent.
    (b) Providers of service  to  eligible  children  and  families  shall
  maintain  the confidentiality of all personally identifiable information
  regarding children and families receiving their services.  The  provider
  shall  ensure  that  no  information  regarding the condition, services,
  needs, or any other individual information regarding a child and  family
  is  released  to  any  party  other than the early intervention official
  without  the  express  written  consent  of  the   parent,   except   as
  specifically  permitted  in  the  coordinated  standards and procedures,
  which shall additionally ensure that  the  requirements  of  federal  or
  state  law which pertain to the early intervention services of the state
  early intervention service agencies have been maintained.
    (c) This section shall not prohibit disclosure otherwise  required  by
  law.