Helping the very youngest in need - and their families, thanks to stimulus

At Brockton Area Multi Services Inc (BAMSI), the Early Intervention (EI) program is not just providing at-risk children between the ages of birth to three years with services for the full range of developmental issues; they are also teaching the families how to help their children thrive.

"Our goal is to provide services for the families also," said Barbara Collins, Clinical Director for BAMSI's EI program. "We need them to understand because they are with their kids day in, day out."

Indeed, BAMSI's EI services, most of which take place inside the children's homes, help nearly half its clientele no longer require services when they enter the school system. Most of the other half are more prepared for the social and academic demands of school and transition more easily and require less intensive services there.

A series of stimulus grants totaling $284K is helping this EI program help even more kids in Brockton and the surrounding towns.

"A good half of the children we see go on to never need special services," said Maureen Crossey, Director of Public Health Services for BAMSI. And, she noted, for children with more severe special needs, if they never had services, "can you imagine the costs when they get to school? And that's not even including the emotional costs to the families. There is so much money that will be lost if these kids don't get services."

Michelle Zine, the mother of 19-month old Jason, who is receiving a range of services in the EI program, agrees. "The opportunity for therapies early on in a

child's life makes all the difference," she said. Jason required a spinal infusion as a newborn due to the contraction of two viruses. "He is improving unbelievably because of these people," said Zine.

The program includes a social skills group that meets weekly and teaches the children how to interact and learn from each other. "The things that they do are things I would never do on my own," said Brenda Derito, whose two-year old daughter Payton who receives services at EI, has cerebral palsy.

The stimulus awards helped BAMSI's EI service 224 children and hire five additional therapists. "The stimulus money helped support our program," said Vanessa Tierney, COO of BAMSI.