Special Children's Friends

Children's services: center based pre-school developmental programs and parental support. Currently we have fifteen students in the early intervention program. The children attend five days per week from 8-2 pm. Their day resembles that of a typical nursery school except that there is therapeutic intent in whatever they do. It can be going for a walk, having a snack, playing with a friend, doing a craft, singing a song or playing outside. For each student there are goals which drive all of their programming. There is a once weekly music therapy session which the children love the music therapist is skilled at working with children with Special needs and it is a positive experience for all.

Case management services are provided for individuals with developmental challenges, autism spectrum disorders and mental health diagnosis from birth to age twenty-one. We have four full-time case managers who each carry a caseload of about 25 children. This number can fluctuate depending on the needs of the families. Case managers are available to attend meetings with families, advocate for them, go to doctor appointments with them, help them fill out forms or any other tasks that they may need assistance with. Their jobs are made more challenging because there are very few services available for families and children. Generally a child is put on a waitlist of some kind regardless of what the need is. This is frustrating for families and case managers, but they do their best to access whatever services are abailable.