The Infants & Toddlers team today...  Pictured front row, left to right:  Michelle Lent, Occupational Therapist; Janet Mickey, Board of Education; Lizbeth Stakem, Social Worker/Service Coordinator; Julie Crawford, Secretary; Benay Wharton, Service Coordinator.  Second row, left to right:  Debbie Metheny, Board of Education Supervisor, Birth to 3rd Grade; Mary Schmidt, Special Instructor; Terri McCagh, Physical Therapist; Jennifer Smith, R.N./Service Coordinator; Jean MacMillan, R.N./Service Coordinator; Tina Tindall, R.N./Service Coordinator; Amy Paul, Board of Education Service Coordinator; Natalie Tenaglio, Program Coordinator.  Third Row, left to right:  Dana Dakas, Speech Therapist; Jenny Vought, Physical Therapist; Kelley Knotts, Speech Therapist; Terri Hanna, Speech Therapist; Sue Muir, Special Instructor/Service Coordinator; Kathy Mason, Board of Education Service Coordinator; Laura McKenzie, Social Worker/Service Coordinator; Angie Montgomery, R.N./Service Coordinator.

It was 21 years ago that Allegany County introduced its Infants & Toddlers Program to provide intervention services to children from birth to three years of age.  The program, which was federally-mandated and began in February 1990, is a cooperative effort between the Allegany County Board of Education, the Department of Social Services, and the Health Department, providing in-home services to children with developmental delay and medical problems which could put them at risk for delay.  

In coordination with private providers, the primary partner agencies have combined their resources to ensure that the needs of Allegany County’s youngest citizens are addressed.  This interagency effort recognizes that these small children and their families require comprehensive services that are unlikely to be available through any one State, public, or private agency.

Several aspects of he Allegany County Infants & Toddlers Program make it a unique resource for eligible children and families.  All services are required to be family based and provided in the child’s natural environment, usually the home.  The I&T staff is available year-round and all services are provided free of charge to eligible children and families.  The program is not income-based.  Rather, eligibility is determined based on the age of the child, severity of developmental delay, any atypical development, or whether or not a diagnosis has been made indicating a high probability of developmental delay.

Services provided through the Infants & Toddlers Program include early identification of potential problems; screening and assessment; family training, counseling, and home visits; health services; medical services for diagnostic purposes; nursing; and nutrition.  Also available are special instruction; speech and language pathology and audiology; occupational and physical therapy; psychological services; and social services.  The program’s early intervention team is composed of special instructors, speech/language pathologists, child health nurses, therapists, a school psychologist, and social workers, as needed for each client.

For more information about the Allegany County Infants & Toddlers Program, call 301-759-5081 or 301-759-2415, or visit www.alleganyhealthdept.com/physhealth/inftodd1.html.

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