Early Intervention & Services

MH/MR

The Chester County Early Intervention program serves about 1100 county children age birth to three each year.  Early Intervention provides supports and services to infants, toddlers, and young children with developmental delays and their families to help the child grow and develop.  Services build on the existing family, community, and early education resources, and may include information on how children develop, ideas for how the family can help the child at home and in the community, and plans designed to help enhance the child’s growth and learning.  While all children grow and change at their own rate, some children experience delays in their development.

Early Intervention services and supports can help a child’s development by

  • answering questions about child development,
  • assisting interaction with the child throughout daily routines at home and in the community,
  • enhancing the child’s developmental and educational growth,
  • supporting the child with developmental delays to become more independent,
  • preventing the need for more and costly intervention in the future, and
  • helping communities become more aware of the abilities of all children.

All services are designed to be family centered and to respect the family’s concerns, interests, values, and priorities.

http://dsf.chesco.org/mhmr/cwp/view.asp?a=1629&q=631746

National Down Syndrome Society

The mission of the National Down Syndrome Society is to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.

The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities.

Medial Assistance

Due to your child’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome he or she qualifies for Medical Assistance.  In order to begin to receive medical assistance benefits you must complete the medical assistance application, which can be found at the following link.

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/partnersproviders/medicalassistance/003676728.htm

The Arc

The Arc is the world’s largest community based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides an array of services and support for families and individuals and includes over 140,000 members affiliated through more than 730 state and local chapters across the nation. The Arc is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.