The Children’s Developmental Services of Campbell County contracts with the Wyoming State Department of Education, Division of Developmental Disabilities, to provide services to children birth to age five.

INCLUSIONARY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM

The Children’s Developmental Services of Campbell County has made a commitment to a fully inclusive program for children.  Full inclusion means educating children with disabilities within the regular education environment. Inclusion involves all teachers and therapists working together within the regular education environment to provide for the unique needs of all children.  Co-teaching, integrated therapies and collaboration are key concepts of an inclusive program.

CHILDREN SERVED

The inclusive classroom seeks to provide developmentally disabled children with opportunities to interact with their non-disabled peers in such a way as to promote maximum developmental growth.  The inclusive classroom operates from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. A child may be recommended for placement in the inclusive classroom upon the completion of evaluation by the transdisciplinary team.  This must be agreed to be the Least Restrictive Placement for the child. Placement may be on a temporary basis during the evaluation period, with permission of the parent. A child must have an identified disability to qualify for services. This includes; Speech/Language Disability, Mental Disability, Hearing Disability, Visual Disability, Emotional Disability, Autistic Disability, Traumatic Brain Injury, Orthopedic Disability, Health Disability or Developmental Disability.  Other factors may also be taken into consideration by the transdisciplinary team as to the placement in the inclusive classroom. The classrooms also attempt to provide normalizing experiences in the areas of socialization, self-help, cognition, language, and motor development. The inclusion of children is mutually beneficial to all persons, for it allows one to see and accept differences, learn to compromise, explore alternatives and to become more independent. The child with developmental disabilities may also receive individual instruction in areas of need, if this is deemed appropriate by the family and transdisciplinary team.

INFANT EDUCATION/FAMILY SERVICE COORDINATION

The Infant Education/Family Service Program is designed for children birth to three years of age with developmental delays, or being “at risk” for developmental delay.  These services are designed to provide educational experiences to the child within the naturally occurring environment. The primary purpose of the program is to teach the parents to be the child’s primary teacher, as well as providing supportive Family Service Coordination to the child and family.

CHILDREN SERVED

The general criteria for accepting children into the Infant Program is a 25% delay in one or more areas of development, as determined by appropriate assessment instruments. Various contributing factors such as; prematurity, child abuse or neglect, medical implications, etc., may add to consideration of placement.

GOALS

• To foster a child’s potential for growth in all areas of development through a specifically designed Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).
• To assist parents in learning about developmental skills and remedial activities in order for them to become their child’s primary teacher.
• To provide materials and activities to assist parents in the education of their child.
• To provide consultation and therapy from other disciplines as necessary (i.e.: PT/OT/ST).
• To provide supportive Family Service Coordination to children and their families.

The focus of the Infant Education/Family Service Program is to provide an early intervention program for children with developmental delays and their families; generally within the home setting and other naturally occurring environments.  The training of the parent/guardian to be the child’s primary interventionist is the most important objective. This is accomplished through weekly home visits, where the infant instructor models activities for the parent and assists the parent in practicing the activities with their child. Written activity plans, data collection, lending of materials and reassessment are also don on a continuing basis.

An IFSP is developed for each child involved in the program. The IFSP may include goals in gross motor, fine motor, cognition, social skills, language and self-help skills. Goals that the family wishes to pursue may also be included in the IFSP. The majority of Infant Services are provided within the home setting, as this is the most natural place for infants and toddlers to explore and learn.

SUPPORT SERVICES

SPEECH/LANGUAGE THERAPY

The speech/language program at the Children’s Developmental Services provides screening, evaluation and remediation to children who demonstrate delays in the acquisition of speech and language skills. Hearing screening and evaluation are also available. Services are provided based on the individual needs of the child, which might include small group therapy, individual therapy, therapy within the regular preschool classroom, and communication preschool.

PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational and physical therapy services are provided to those children in need of such services. Consultation and direct therapy services are utilized as supports to the early intervention program. Goals are focused on improving motor development, sensory skills and self-care skills.  Services are provided on either a homebound or center program.

INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL

The Children’s Developmental Services also co-chairs the Interagency Coordinating Council. The Council consists of agencies in the community that are involved in the provision of early intervention services to children in the community. The Council’s main function is to assist in the coordinated effort and non-duplication of services to children with disabilities from birth to age five.