The Office of the General Counsel Special Education Case Management, Impartial Hearing Order Implementation Unit (IU), and the Division of Financial Operations, Payables Office (DFO-PO) are jointly responsible for implementing impartial hearing orders.
If you are a parent, parent’s representative (attorney/advocate), or vendor that needs help with the implementation of an impartial hearing order, please review the resources below.
Implementation Overview and Payment Process
The implementation payment process occurs through a four-step process:
Impartial Hearing Order Implementation Unit (IU)
The Compliance Team reviews orders and creates action items for NYCPS, outlining whether (a) the NYCPS is required to provide a NYCPS program/service or (b) to pay for a privately provided program/service.
The Community Engagement Team centralizes and streamlines communications, serves as the first point of contact during the implementation of impartial hearing orders, initiates proactive outreach to parents or their representatives, educates and informs the public about the implementation processes, fosters transparency through all stages of the implementation process
The IU Outreach Team - Currently, the IU Community Engagement Team is focused on outreach efforts. For Pendency Forms, Pendency Agreements, and Impartial Hearing Orders issued on or after January 8, 2025, NYCPS will launch outreach through the SupportHub Customer Service Platform. Starting on January 13, 2025, when an order is unpacked, the parent or their representative will receive an outreach email with a pre-populated form for each Payment Action Item. Parents or their representatives may use the pre-populated form to submit their parent’s chosen vendor information and supporting documents (if needed).
The Account Management Team verifies vendor information and supporting documents and sets the funding parameters for private programs and services. This administrative function is commonly referred to as the "authorization" process. This team also processes payments for tuition and reimbursements. Your assigned IU Account Specialist may contact you if they have any questions while processing the authorization.
Division of Financial Operations - Payables Office (DFO-PO)
- The Division of Financial Operations - Payables Office Team receives invoices from independent service providers and processes payments based on the funding parameters authorized by the IU Account Management Team.
The HUHY Authorization Guide is a step-by-step guide through the authorization process. It provides guidelines for parents or their representatives to submit parent’s chosen vendor information and supporting documents and includes lists of supporting documents that IU Account Specialists usually review to authorize funding or reimbursement. The guide also has helpful tips and best practices to ensure efficiency of the implementation process.
Additionally, the SupportHub Customer Service Platform Guide provides a detailed overview of the IU’s new platform for outreach to parents and their representatives.
If you have questions regarding:
- reimbursements or direct payments to a private school, or
- seeking to implement an order awarding funding for a private service provider, please email IUAuthorization@schools.nyc.gov.
If you are an attorney or advocate, please be sure your assigned IU Account Specialist is copied on any communications at IUAuthorization@schools.nyc.gov.
If you do not know your assigned IU Account Specialist, please contact IHOIUManagers@schools.nyc.gov for confirmation.
Implementation of NYCPS Services and Programs
The IU Compliance Team also supports the implementation of orders requiring NYCPS to directly provide a NYCPS program or service through various NYCPS offices that are responsible for implementing
these action items.
If you have questions regarding the status of services provided directly by NYCPS pursuant to an Impartial Hearing Order, such as:
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings,
- Class placements,
- Issuance of Related Services Authorizations (RSA),
- Evaluations to be conducted by NYCPS staff,
You may submit your inquiries to IHOIUManagers@schools.nyc.gov. The subject line of the email must include the student's name, NYCID number (OSIS), and impartial hearing case number.
Unrepresented Families
We are here to support you. If you have an impartial hearing order that requires implementation, please email IU as described above and include “PRO SE Request” in the subject line so we can ensure customized support. Please also include the IHO case number and student name in the subject line.
Vendors
The term “Vendors” refers to independent service providers or non-approved private schools that provide services or programs pursuant to an Impartial Hearing Order.
As noted in the Implementation Overview and Payment Process section above, Vendors receive an email notification when the IU Account Management Team processes the authorization and sets the fund parameters for a Payment Action Item.
Once Independent Service Providers receive the authorization email, they may submit invoices to DFO-PO at IHServiceInvoices@schools.nyc.gov
Vendor Pilot - Email Submissions to Support Implementation Authorization Process
Effective February 10, 2025, the Implementation Unit (IU) is launching a Vendor Pilot, which will run for a three-month period as directed by the federal court in L.V. v. NYC Department of Education (03 Civ. 9917). During the pilot period, IU will collect data and report this information to the Special Master and the Court.
During the Vendor Pilot, vendors will be allowed to submit emails that support the authorization process which is handled by the Implementation Unit (IU). The dates of the Vendor Pilot are February 10, 2025 to May 9, 2025.
Your participation in the pilot is optional. If you would like to participate in the pilot, please follow the instructions in the NYCPS Memorandum re: Vendor Pilot.
Submitting an Inquiry
Not Yet Authorized Cases: If you have not received an authorization email for the period in which you are seeking payment for services rendered, the parent or their representative should email the assigned IU Account Specialist with a copy to IUAuthorization@schools.nyc.gov.
Tuition payment inquiries for authorized cases should be sent to the Implementation Unit (IU): IUTuitionPayments@schools.nyc.gov.
Authorized Cases: If you have already received an authorization email for the period in which you seeking payment for services rendered on a given case (e.g. SETSS/related services/evaluations/Applied Behavioral Analysis), you should submit invoices to the Division of Financial Operations – Payables Office (DFO-PO): IHServiceInvoices@schools.nyc.gov.
Please refrain from submitting invoices to this inbox if you have not yet received an authorization email notification.
Resources
Forms
Trainings
Guides
Last updated: February 2025