We continue our Dialogue on Disability Week with an update on the state of early intervention (EI) services in Monroe County. In early December, county officials announced a temporary solution to what some local providers called a brewing crisis in EI services. A shortage in providers and funding would have led to about 1,200 children being waitlisted for programs, but the county has since allocated six Department of Health employees to coordinate intake services. Parents and providers say more support is needed.
This hour, we look at the current state of early intervention programs and discuss how they benefit children in need. In studio:
- Beth McLellan, early childhood administrator at the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
- Jason Zuch, speech-language pathologist at the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
- Diane Kozar, vice president of children’s programs and clinic at CP Rochester and Happiness House
- Bridget Morgenstern, parent whose twin sons attend the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center
