Minnesota Minnesota

Early Intensive Development and Behavioral Intervention Manual

Early Intensive Development and Behavioral Intervention Manual

Comparison of Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) and EIDBI

Page updated: 8/24/26

Category of comparison

Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS)

Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) benefit

Legal authority

Minn. Stat. §256B.0943

Minn. Stat. §256B.0949, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-approved state plan amendment (PDF)

Background

The 2003 Minnesota Legislature passed Minn. Stat. §256B.0943 to create Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) in 2003. It has been revised several times.

The 2013 Minnesota Legislature passed Minn. Stat. §256B.0949 to create the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) benefit for children up to age 18 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Later amendments expanded eligibility to include people up to age 21 with ASD or a related condition.

CMS approved subsequent state plan amendments in later years. For more information, refer to EIDBI – Overview of the EIDBI benefit.

Overview

CTSS is a Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) benefit. It provides a flexible package of mental health services for children who need varying therapeutic and rehabilitative levels of services. CTSS psychiatric rehabilitation services for children combine both:

  • · Psychotherapy to address internal psychological, emotional and intellectual processing deficits.
  • · Skills training to restore personal and social functioning to the proper developmental level.

    • CTSS addresses conditions of mental illness that impair and interfere with a person’s ability to function independently. Services are designed to either:

  • · Restore a child to an age-appropriate developmental track that had been disrupted by a psychiatric illness.
  • · Help the child self-monitor, compensate for, cope with, counteract or replace psychosocial skills, deficits or maladaptive skills developed over the course of a psychiatric illness.

    • EIDBI is a Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) benefit. It provides medically necessary, early and intensive intervention for people with ASD and related conditions. The benefit also is intended to:

  • · Educate, train and support parents and families.
  • · Promote people’s independence and participation in family, school and community life.
  • · Improve long-term outcomes and the quality of life for people and their families.

    • Definition of related condition

    A related condition is a condition that is closely related to ASD and:

    1. Is severe and chronic.

    2. Results in differences in a person’s adaptive behavior and function, like that of a person with ASD.

    3. Requires treatment or services, like those required for a person with ASD.

    4. Results in challenges in the following symptom areas (like the symptoms of ASD):

  • · Social interaction and communication.
  • · Restrictive, repetitive behaviors or hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input.

    • 5. May include delays or need for a high level of support in one or more of the following related domains:

  • · Behavior challenges and self-regulation.
  • · Cognition.
  • · Learning and play.
  • · Safety.
  • · Self-care.

    • Eligibility

    A person is eligible to receive CTSS services if they meet all the following criteria:

    1. Are younger than age 21.

    2. Have a standard diagnostic assessment (DA) that documents either:

  • · A primary diagnosis of a mental illness for children younger than age 18.
  • · Mental illness for young adults ages 18 through 20.

    • Note: A mental health professional or clinical trainee must complete the diagnostic assessment used to establish eligibility for CTSS within 365 days before CTSS services begin.

    3. Meet medical necessity for CTSS.

    4. Have an individual treatment plan (ITP) that:

  • · Is completed and signed by the author.
  • · Documents specific goals and objectives for CTSS services.
  • · Is reviewed and approved by the supervising mental health professional and the parent or guardian before the person receives services.

    • A person is eligible to receive EIDBI services if they meet all the following criteria:

  • · Are younger than age 21.
  • · Have had a comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE) that establishes medical necessity for EIDBI services, completed by a CMDE provider (refer to MHCP – Provider directory).
  • · Are enrolled in Medical Assistance (MA), MinnesotaCare, Minnesota Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) or other qualifying health care programs.
  • · Have ASD or a related condition.

    • For more information, refer to EIDBI – Eligibility for EIDBI services.

    Covered services

    CTSS covers:

  • · Psychotherapy with the person and/or family member conducted individually or in a group (refer to MHCP Provider Manual – Psychotherapy).
  • · Psychotherapy for crisis (refer to MHCP Provider Manual – Psychotherapy for Crisis).
  • · Skills training with the person, family or group.
  • · Crisis planning.
  • · Mental health service plan development and review.
  • · Administering and reporting standardized measures.

    • Some providers also may offer optional services, including:

  • · Mental health behavioral aide services.
  • · Children’s day treatment (i.e., a combination of psychotherapy and skills training).

    • For more information about the CTSS covered services, refer to MHCP Provider Manual – CTSS.

    Telemedicine is an option for some CTSS services. For more information, refer to MHCP Provider Manual – Telehealth Delivery of Mental Health Services.

    Only eligible provider types may perform each service. For more information, refer to MHCP Provider Manual – CTSS – Eligible Providers.

    EIDBI covers:

  • · Comprehensive multi-disciplinary evaluation (CMDE).
  • · Individual treatment plan (ITP) development and progress monitoring.
  • · Coordinated care conference.
  • · Intervention – group, individual and higher intensity.
  • · Observation and direction.
  • · Family/caregiver training and counseling.
  • · Travel time.

    • For more information about the EIDBI covered services, refer to EIDBI – Services.

    Telehealth is an option for some EIDBI services. For more information, refer to EIDBI – Telehealth services.

    Only eligible provider types may perform each service. For more information, refer to EIDBI – Overview of EIDBI providers.

    More information

    DHS encourages providers to take the self-paced, online coordinating services and supports for a child with ASD or a related condition course. This course helps participants differentiate between EIDBI, CTSS and other services for children with ASD and related conditions.

    If you have questions about CTSS, contact dhs.ctss@state.mn.us.

    To locate a CTSS provider, refer to MHCP Provider Manual – CTSS – Eligible Providers.

    If you receive MHCP fee-for-service, contact the MHCP Member Help Desk by calling 651-431-2670.

    For primary insurance questions, contact the member help desk using the information on the back of your healthcare card.

    DHS encourages providers to take the self-paced, online coordinating services and supports for a child with ASD or a related condition course. This course helps participants differentiate between EIDBI, CTSS and other services for children with ASD and related conditions.

    If you have questions about the EIDBI benefit, submit an inquiry using the Minnesota Autism Resource Portal Contact Form.

    To locate a CMDE or EIDBI provider, refer to MHCP – Provider Directory.

    If you receive MHCP fee-for-service, contact the MHCP Member Help Desk by calling 651-431-2670.

    For primary insurance questions, contact the member help desk using the information on the back of your healthcare card.

    Report this page