imagine a child's capacity
Birth to Three Program
Birth-to-Three, the age when children’s bodies and minds are developing, budding and growing; the age that has been deemed the most crucial stage in development by researchers, and the age that children develop close personal ties to their loved ones.
The Birth-to-Three Program is Wisconsin’s early intervention program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. A federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), provides a framework for a comprehensive program that coordinates developmental, health and social services within the community. The Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) oversees the Birth to Three Program in Wisconsin and has developed rules (HFS 90) that specify the program requirements.
Following these guidelines and laws put in place for the well-being of the children is the passion of our staff here at Imagine a Child's Capacity.
Every family that comes into our program is paired with a Service Coordinator that, together with the family make a team that works hard to develop a plan that will lead to the best possible outcomes for the development of the child. Strategies, services and people are put into place to provide support for the family. The family is the cornerstone in the child’s development. We at ICC provide the tools, skills and resources the family provides the daily support to the child.
We don’t have all of the answers and we can’t guarantee to “fix” your child. We can guarantee that we love children; we can guarantee that our hearts are as big as our bodies will allow, and we can guarantee that we do get personally involved. Our heart and soul goes with every child that leaves our program for the challenges of life beyond three.
The staff at Imagine a Child's Capacity hopes that your child doesn’t need our service, but if he or she does we can’t wait to meet them!
For more information on ICC’s Birth to Three Program please contact Kim DuBois, (608) 204-6242 ext 11, kdubois@icc-wi.org or ICC Intake Coordinator Karl Pierick, (608) 204-6247, kpierick@icc-wi.org
(The following information was excerpted from the Dane County Health and Human Services website at http://www.co.dane.wi.us/humanservices/acs/birthtothree.htm)
The Birth to Three Program provides therapy and services to infants and toddlers meeting the 25% delay eligibility requirements. Dane County operates two Birth to Three Programs. For families living within the Madison School District, services are provided through the Birth to Three Program based at Imagine a Child's Capacity. For families living outside the Madison School District, services are provided through the Birth to Three Connections Program administered by the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County.
Wisconsin mandated counties to provide Birth to Three services to eligible children in 1992. Currently Dane County provides services to over 500 children and their families every year. Because the services are mandated, the program does not have waiting lists. Prior to the child’s third birthday, transition to public school early education services are coordinated through the Birth to Three Program.