EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of outreach columns from the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Even through a pandemic, the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities is working to ensure all people are receiving the services they need. The Champaign County Board of DD’s Early Intervention (EI) Department is no exception. Our EI Department partners with Ohio Early Intervention Service Coordination and our local Family and Children First Council to ensure that children birth to age 3, who may not be hitting developmental milestones, receive the intervention they need.
Early Intervention is a service funded by local levy dollars and offered at no cost to children in our county who have a developmental delay or disability. EI builds upon existing strengths and provides support to assist caregivers to enhance a child’s development through daily routines. Pre-pandemic, you would find our EI staff in homes, childcares and other natural environments throughout the county, working with children and their caregivers on developmental milestones and skills such as sitting up, talking and eating. Now that we are all dealing with Covid-19, the way we are working with children and their caregivers has changed, but we are still providing important services to children around the county.
Safety for our families, our staff and the community is always a big concern; especially during this time. That is why we now offer a virtual option for many of our services. Families are still able to meet with their EI team in real-time and receive feedback and consultation through our virtual platforms. In some complex situations, we have taken necessary safety precautions and met with families in person, but many of our visits are still occurring virtually. A child’s development is not going to wait for the pandemic to be over and our team has been committed to ensure support is there when needed.
For more information on the Champaign County Board of DD’s Early Intervention team, please check out our website at: https://www.champaigncbdd.org/services-for-children/early-intervention/
If you are concerned about your child’s development and would like to make a referral for services, please call the toll-free referral line at 1-800-755-4769. If you have questions and would like to speak to one of our EI staff, please call (937) 653-5217.
