EDUCARE DC

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

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES:COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES ARE A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR WORK. CHILDREN MUST BE HEALTHY TO LEARN AND DEVELOP WELL AND, IN TURN, A QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCE RESULTS IN BETTER LONG-TERM HEALTH. EDUCARE DC OFFERS VITAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORT TO OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INCLUDING: DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS, ASSISTANCE ENROLLING IN MEDICAID AND WIC, MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS, ON-SITE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, ON-SITE HEARING, VISION, AND DENTAL SCREENINGS, COORDINATION WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS AND WELL-BABY CHECKS, AND REFERRALS TO SPECIALISTS WHEN NEEDED. THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH PHILOSOPHY IS INFUSED THROUGH EDUCARE'S PROGRAM WITH DAILY HEALTH CHECKS OF EACH CHILD CONDUCTED (SEE SCHEDULE O) BY CLASSROOM TEACHERS, THREE HEALTHY MEALS EACH DAY DESIGNED IN CONSULTATION WITH A NUTRITION SPECIALIST, AND A SCHOOL GARDEN AS A SOURCE OF FOOD AND LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.IN ADDITION, OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TEAM USES FORMAL EVALUATIONS AND ONGOING TEACHER AND PARENT OBSERVATIONS TO IDENTIFY CHILDREN WHO MAY HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY OR WOULD BENEFIT FROM INDIVIDUALIZED HEALTH OR MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT. IF A CHILD APPEARS TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, OUR TEAM CONDUCTS ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS AND MAY REFER THE CHILD TO DC HEALTHY START OR STRONG START EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. ANY PLANS, SUPPORTS, OR INTERVENTIONS PUT IN PLACE ARE HIGHLY TAILORED TO THAT CHILD'S SPECIFIC NEEDS. GIVEN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF OUR PROGRAM, NEEDS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED FOR EACH CHILD ARE HOLISTICALLY SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR TEACHING PRACTICES AND WORK BY OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, INCLUDING THROUGH THE ANNUAL FAMILY GOAL-SETTING PROCESS.PRENATAL PROGRAM:IN 2021, EDUCARE DC LAUNCHED OUR PRENATAL PROGRAM, MOMS2BE. SERVING UP TO 24 EXPECTANT MOTHERS EACH YEAR, MOMS2BE EMPOWERS MOTHERS THROUGH THE CONTINUUM OF PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH, AND PARENTING AN INFANT. OUR GOAL IS TO SUPPORT MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES BY ENSURING THEY HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE, PARENTING AND BIRTHING CLASSES, SUPPORT AND COACHING FROM EXPERTS, AND CONNECTION WITH OTHER MOTHERS. LED BY A DEDICATED STAFF, THE PROGRAM OFFERS: A SEQUENCED CURRICULUM AROUND PREGNANCY, INFANT DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, AND PARENTING; ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH A PERINATAL COORDINATOR TO SET UP PERSONAL GOALS; ASSISTANCE ACCESSING TO PRENATAL CARE, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FOR ACCESS AS PRE- AND POSTNATAL SCREENERS; POSSIBILITY FOR ENROLLMENT AND TRANSITION OF INFANT (6 WEEKS OR OLDER) TO AN EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM AT EDUCARE DC OR ONE OF OUR CHILDCARE PARTNER PROGRAMS.