Paula Horn, Deputy Director of Prevention Services
Submitted By:
Paula Horn, Public Health and Community Services
Department:
Health & Emergency Management
Division:
Prevention Services
Fiscal Year:
2011-2012
Budgeted?:
Yes
Contract Dates Begin & End:
July1, 2011 through June 30, 2012
Grant?:
Yes
Matching Requirement?:
No
Fund?:
Renewal
Request/Subject
First Things First Notice of Renewal Consideration No. FTF-RC004-10-0129-01-Y2
Background Information
The Gila County Office of Health has provided the Early Childhood Screening Program for two years. The goal of the program is to screen Gila County children from birth through five years of age, identify delays and refer to appropriate agency or physician to begin early intervention services. The program provides free hearing, vision and developmental screens.
Evaluation
The funding will allow the Gila County Office of Health the ability to continue to provide the early screening program. The Gila County Office of Health provides developmental screening to children birth through five years of age. We provide a developmental assessment and social-emotional assessment using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire screening tool. Vision screenings are provided using a questionnaire, LEA Symbol Chart for near and far sightedness, and the Lang Stereopsis test. Hearing screenings are provided using the AuDx OAE Hearing Screening System. Parents are informed of the results of the screenings and referrals are completed as necessary. Parents are provided with age appropriate activities for their child, and given ideas to encourage developmental growth. Copies of the screens and results are forwarded to the child’s Primary Care Physician with the authorization of the parents.
The goal of the program is to reach the rural populations which have limited services available to them. The screenings are provided in multiple settings including but not limited to: community health fairs, schools, preschools, daycares, community or social service agencies and clinics throughout Gila County. We are currently offering developmental and social-emotional screenings through the mail in order to make ease of services for all participants. The screening services are mobile and the screenings can be taken directly to the participants/agencies requesting the services.
Conclusion
Without this funding Gila County would be unable to provide early childhood screenings to identify delays that need to be addressed.
Screening young children is an effective, efficient way to catch problems and start treatment when it does the most good—during the crucial early years when the child’s brain and body are developing so rapidly. Because delays can be subtle and can occur in children who appear to be developing typically, most children who would benefit from early intervention are not identified until after they start school.
Developmental delays, learning disorders, and behavioral and social-emotional problems are estimated to affect 1 in every 6 children. (Dunkle, M. (Fall 2004). High Quality Developmental Screening. Developmental & Behavioral News, 13(2). Retrieved December 16, 2005, from http://www.dbpeds.org/articles/detail.cfm?id=373)
Recommendation
It is the recommendation of the Division of Health and Emergency Services to approve the First Things First Notice of Renewal Consideration between First Things First and Gila County in the amount of $56,650 for the period of July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012.
Suggested Motion
Approval of First Things First Notice of Renewal Consideration No. FTF-RC0004-10-0129-01-Y2 between Gila County and First Things First in the amount of $56,650 to extend the Gila County Early Childhood Screening Program for the period of July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012.