EASTER SEALS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

EASTER SEALS RIO GRANDE VALLEY SERVES CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH FIVE PROGRAMS:1. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION (ECI) PROGRAM SERVES CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE THREE WITH A DIAGNOSED DISABILITY OR DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, FOLLOWING THE STATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. SERVICES INCLUDE ASSESSMENTS, PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPY, NUTRITION, SERVICE COORDINATION AND FAMILY INFORMATIONAL AND CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT. WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 2,740 CHILDREN ANNUALLY AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THIS PROGRAM.2. THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROVIDES INCLUSIVE CHILDCARE FOR CHILDREN AGES SIX WEEKS TO FIVE YEARS WHO NEED QUALITY CHILDCARE SERVICES. CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES LEARN SIDE-BY-SIDE THEIR TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS. WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 43 CHILDREN ANNUALLY IN THIS PROGRAM YEAR.3. THE PEDIATRIC REHABILITATION PROGRAM PROVIDES PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPY FOR CHILDREN OVER THE AGE OF THREE IN A CLINIC SETTING. WE SERVED 7 CHILDREN ANNUALLY IN THIS PROGRAM.4. ADULT SERVICES PROGRAM PROVIDES PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE SERVICES FOR ADULTS WHO NEED THERAPY AND DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PAY OF SERVICES. WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 4 CLIENTS IN THIS PROGRAM.5. IN 2020 THE MAKE THE FIVE COALITION WORK SHIFTED TO THE HELP ME GROW (HMG) MODEL WITH EASTERSEALS RGV'S AWARD OF THE HELP ME GROW PROJECT AS THE IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION. AS THE IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION, EASTERSEALS WORKED WITH THE COALITION MEMBERS TO CONTINUE THE GOALS FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL READINESS AND EXPAND THE SCOPE TO FOCUS ON EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION FOR POSITIVE OUTCOMES. UNDER THE HELP ME GROW MODEL THE GOALS ARE OUTLINED UNDER FOUR COMPONENTS: (1) CREATING A CENTRALIZED ACCESS POINT, (2) SHARED COMMUNITY OUTREACH & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, (3) CHILD DEVELOPMENT HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OUTREACH AND (4) DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS.EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY EASTER SEALS RGV UNDER HHSC, DIVISION OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES (FFS), TEXAS HOME VISITING GRANTS, SERVE FAMILIES IN HIDALGO, CAMERON, WILLACY AND STARR COUNTIES. THE PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY AND MATCH PARENTS WITH TRAINED HOME EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT DURING PREGNANCY AND THROUGHOUT THEIR CHILD'S FIRST FIVE YEARS. EASTER SEALS IMPLEMENTS THE PARENTS AS TEACHERS (PAT) PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PARENTS WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT INFORMATIONAL AND PARENTING SUPPORT. THE PAT MODEL INCLUDES ONE-ON-ONE HOME VISITS, GROUP MEETINGS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS AND A RESOURCE NETWORK FOR FAMILIES. THE PAT PROGRAMS SERVE FAMILIES FROM PREGNANCY TO AGE FIVE. EASTERSEALS HAS SERVED 980 FAMILIES ANNUALLY IN THIS YEAR THROUGH THE FSS TEXAS HOME VISITING PAT PROGRAMS. THE SECOND PROGRAM UNDER THE FSS TEXAS HOME VISITING PROGRAM GRANT, SERVES FAMILIES IN HIDALGO COUNTY THROUGH THE HIPPY (HOME INSTRUCTION FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS) PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM PROMOTES PRESCHOOL READINESS AND SUPPORTING PARENTS AS THEIR CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER. THE HIPPY PROGRAM SERVED 99 FAMILIES THIS YEAR. 6. IN AUGUST OF 2014, EASTER SEALS WAS AWARDED THE HOPES (HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH PREVENTION AND EARLY SUPPORT) PROGRAM GRANT. THE FUNDING SOURCE IS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES, PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION DIVISION. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HOME VISITING SERVICES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN HIDALGO COUNTY. PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE SAFECARE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL, AND MAY INCLUDE, SHORT TERM COUNSELING SUPPORT, PARENTING SEMINARS AND LIMITED CHILDCARE SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 187 FAMILIES IN THE PROGRAM YEAR. 7. IN 2023 THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, A PLACE-BASED SITE WAS OPENED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO SUPPORTS, RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR PARENTS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN HIDALGO COUNTY AND EXPANDED TO STARR COUNTY. THE FRCS PROVIDE RESOURCE NAVIGATION, COUNSELING, ACCESS TO DIAPERS AND BASIC NEEDS SUPPLIES, AND PARENTING WORKSHOPS. THE HIDALGO CENTER ENROLLED 697 PARTICIPANTS AND THE STARR COUNTY SITE ENROLLED 111 PARTICIPANTS.