Birth to Three Program
The Birth to Three Program is an individually guided program of early intervention services available to help families meet the developmental needs of their children. Children are found eligible if it is determined they have a delay in their development or have a diagnosed condition which will likely result in a delay. Each county is mandated by state and federal laws to offer its own system to provide these services. Anyone can make a referral to the program and it is a voluntary program for the families that are involved.
Birth to Three Program Referral Form
The first three years are the most important building blocks of a child’s future. The Birth to 3 Program is a federally-mandated Early Intervention program (Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—IDEA) to support families of children with developmental delays or disabilities under the age of three.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) wants every parent or caregiver of a child with a delay or disability to be aware of the Birth to 3 Program, understand the benefits of early intervention, and know how to access the program.
The team will evaluate the child’s ability to:
- learn (cognitive development)
- move, see and hear (physical/motor development)
- communicate and understand other’s communication (speech and language development)
- respond to and relate with others (social and emotional development)
- and eat, dress and care for daily living needs (adaptive development)
Eligibility for Birth to 3 Program:
- developmental delay of at least 25% in one area of development
- a physician diagnosed condition with a high probability of developmental delay
- atypical (unusual) development that adversely affects your child’s overall development.
Contact:
Sue Ader
Deputy Director
920-683-4230