EASTER SEALS FLORIDA INC

CHILDREN'S SERVICES:EDUCATION: WITH A GOAL TO PROVIDE AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES, OUR SCHOOL FOR LIMITLESS LEARNING OFFERS TWO EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS REACH THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND PLAY. OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM (AGES 6 WEEKS-3 YEARS) OFFERS YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT DIAGNOSED DISABILITIES. OUR EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (AGES PRE-K 2ND GRADE) LED BY STATE-CERTIFIED TEACHERS SERVES CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND OTHER RELATED DISABILITIES. BOTH PROGRAMS EMPLOY THE EVIDENCED-BASED DIR FLOORTIME MODEL OF LEARNING WITH TEACHERS TRAINED TO USE THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS AND HUMAN CONNECTIONS TO PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION, POSITIVE BEHAVIORS, AND CRITICAL THINKING. EARLY STEPS: EARLY STEPS, ALSO KNOWN AS IDEA, PART C, OFFERS EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR FAMILIES WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS (BIRTH TO THIRTY-SIX MONTHS) WHO HAVE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS OR AN ESTABLISHED CONDITION LIKELY TO RESULT IN A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY. EASTER SEALS FLORIDA, INC. IS ONE OF FOURTEEN CONTRACTED LOCAL EARLY STEPS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. AS THE CONTRACT HOLDER FOR TWO EARLY STEPS PROGRAMS, SERVING SEVEN COUNTIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA, EASTER SEALS FLORIDA, INC. CONDUCTS MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EVALUATIONS FOR ANY CHILD SUSPECTED AS BEING DELAYED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES; PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN; AND COORDINATES WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND OTHER CONTRACTED PROVIDERS FOR THE DELIVERY OF NEEDED EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS. FAMILY DISABILITY NAVIGATION: THIS PROGRAM SERVES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WITHIN FIVE TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC SECTORS IN ORANGE COUNTY. COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, EASTER SEALS FLORIDA, INC. NAVIGATORS WORK DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES WHERE THEY LIVE TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, RESOURCE NAVIGATION, WORKSHOPS, AND TRAININGS. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN ALL ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY LIFE THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING, ADVOCACY, AND PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES. THERAPY SERVICES: THE EARLY INTERVENTION ASSESSMENT TEAM (EIAT) PROVIDES DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATIONS FOR CHILDREN BIRTH-35 MONTHS OF AGE WHO HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE HEALTHY BEGINNINGS ENTRY AGENCY, BASED ON A SCORE OF "CONCERN" ON THE ASQ-3. THE PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT TEAM IS TO ENSURE THE FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS RECEIVE SERVICES AND REFERRALS FROM THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER IN THE HOME-SETTING ENVIRONMENT. THE TEAM DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND REFERS TO ONE OF THE THREE AGENCIES WITH PALM BEACH COUNTY'S HEALTHY BEGINNING'S SYSTEM OF CARE. BEHAVIORAL THERAPY ORANGE COUNTY: THE FAMILIES IN TRAINING (FIT) BEHAVIORAL THERAPY PROGRAM PROVIDES BCBA LED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE 22 YEARS OLD. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE BCBA CONDUCTED ASSESSMENTS AND BCBA PROVIDED THERAPY. THE FIT PROGRAM UTILIZES A PARENT EDUCATIONAL CONCEPT THAT ASSISTS FAMILIES IN THEIR HOMES. BY TEACHING THE PARENTS BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SKILLS, PARENTS INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO BETTER MANAGE THEIR CHILD'S PROBLEM BEHAVIORS. THIS IN-HOME BEHAVIOR THERAPY PROGRAM IS PROVIDED TO ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENTS AT NO COST TO THEM AND IS FULLY FUNDED BY ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. PLAY PROJECT: THE PLAY PROJECT IS AN EVIDENCED-BASED, INTENSIVE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. EASTER SEALS FLORIDA, INC'S. CERTIFIED PLAY PROJECT CONSULTANTS PROVIDE IN HOME COACHING AND EDUCATION TO PARENTS TEACHING THEM TO ENGAGE THEIR CHILD IN A PLAYFUL WAY THAT PROMOTES HIS/HER DEVELOPMENT. THIS PARENT IMPLEMENTED MODEL OF AUTISM EARLY INTERVENTION HAS BECOME A NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUCCESSFUL METHOD TO HELP YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WHILE ALSO EMPOWERING PARENTS WITH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENTAL GROWTH. EARLY LEARNING INTERVENTION PROGRAM: THE EARLY LEARNING & INTERVENTION PROGRAM (ELIP) PROVIDES SHORT-TERM, GAP EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO 5 YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. CHILDREN EXPERIENCING DELAYS IN DEVELOPMENT BUT MAY NOT MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR EARLY STEPS OR CHILD FIND ARE ABLE TO TURN TO EASTERSEALS TO RECEIVE EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, PARENT EDUCATION, AND SERVICE COORDINATION. THIS PROGRAM IS AN IN-HOME PROGRAM WITH AN OPTION OF SOME SERVICE OCCURRING IN THE CHILD'S SCHOOL SETTING.INCREDIBLE YEARS: THE INCREDIBLE YEARS IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED GROUP PROGRAM SERVING BOTH CAREGIVERS AND CHILDREN AGES 3-8 YEARS. FAMILIES ENROLL IN A 14-WEEK SESSION THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING STRONG PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS AND PREVENTING NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR THROUGH SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SELF-REGULATION, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. PROGRAM SESSIONS ARE HELD IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES A HOME EDUCATION COMPONENT.