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Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (Early Intervention)

Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (Early Intervention)2023-04-27T14:52:00-07:00

About NCESD’s Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (previously called Early Intervention)

The NCESD Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) team is the Early Intervention Provider Agency for Chelan, Douglas, Grant counties, as well as Nespelem School District. As the Provider Agency, NCESD is responsible for ensuring that support and services – in accordance to the law (the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Action, or IDEA)- are accessible for children ages birth to 3 years old and their support systems. NCESD also serves as the single point of entry for ESIT/Early Intervention referrals (see “The Referral Process” tab for more information).

Early Support for Infants and Toddlers services are designed to enable children birth to 3 with developmental delays or disabilities to be active and successful during their early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings – in their homes, in child care, in preschool or school programs, and in their communities.

The NCESD ESIT/Early Learning team provides the following services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays:

  • Social emotional

  • Communication
  • Motor
  • Cognitive
  • Self-help
  • Vision and hearing

If you have a concern about your child’s development and would like to schedule a meeting or receive more information, contact us here.

The Referral Process

Parents, families, child care providers and medical providers can all make a referral to Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (Early Intervention).

Parents, families, child care providers and medical providers can all make a referral to the ESIT program when there is a concern about a child’s development. Read this handout for developmental milestones to look for in children by age.

What does the Referral Process Look Like?

Once a referral is received by our ESIT/Early Intervention team, a Family Resources Coordinator (FRC) will contact the family in order to gather more information and to determine the next steps for evaluation to determine eligibility and whether the child could benefit from early intervention services.

Make a Referral

Those interested in making a developmental referral may complete the form below or download the PDF file. Providers can fax a referral form to 509-888-1968.

Format Example: 01-01-2010
Please include street, city, state, and zip code.
Format example: 509-665-2610
Format example: 509-665-2610
Format example: 509-665-2610
Format example: email@email.com

Family Resource Coordination

Washington State Family Resource Coordinators support and assist families to identify priorities then find and coordinate resources in the community to match those priorities.

The FRC may also coordinate:

  • The initial intake process for the family a Child’s evaluations
  • The development of an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) to address your child and family’s needs,
  • Information about resources available in your community to support your child and family
  • A transition plan to community programs including preschool special education

Eligibility

To be eligible, a child must have a 25% delay or show a 1.5 standard deviation below his or her age in one or more of the developmental areas including physical, cognitive, communication, social emotional or adaptive skills. A child may also be eligible if he or she has a physical or mental condition such as Down’s Syndrome that may have a high probability of developmental delay.

Our Services

We provide our services in the child’s natural environment, including:

  • The home
  • Childcare
  • The community
  • Other immediate environments natural to the child and family

Our ESIT/early intervention services are available in a secure virtual format as well.

We believe that parents and caregivers know their children best. It is our goal to work collaboratively with parents and caregivers to share ideas, strategies and information about your child’s development.

The support that children with developmental delays and their families receive is provided by a whole team. Our ESIT team members may include:

  • Family Resource Coordinator
  • Early Intervention teacher
  • Speech Language Pathologist and Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
  • Physical therapist
  • Feeding specialist
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Teacher of the Visually impaired
  • Teacher of the Deaf

Contacts

Chelan/Douglas/Grant Counties
and Nespelem School District

North Central ESD
430 Olds Station Road
Wenatchee, WA 98801

Janelle Bersch
Phone: 509-664-3781
Fax: 509-888-1968

Okanogan County

Bright Start Services
638 Okoma Drive
PO Box 3054
Omak, WA 98841

Shannon Mendoza
Phone: 509-826-1550
Fax: 509-826-1525

Resources

Our Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (Early Intervention) Staff


Ana Bernal

Birth - 3 Special Education Teacher
Email Ana Bernal
509-260-5902

Brenda Lemus

Family Resource Coordinator
Email Brenda Lemus
509-888-7044

Candie Sanchez

Family Resource Coordinator/Paraeducator
Email Candie Sanchez
509-260-5998

Janelle Bersch

Managing Director, Early Childhood
Email Janelle Bersch
509-667-3641

Jannel Burton

Occupational Therapist
Email Jannel Burton
509-888-7048

Jesenia Cifuentes

Family Resource Coordinator
Email Jesenia Cifuentes

Jess Smiley

Speech Language Pathologist
Email Jess Smiley
509-224-9267

Jessica Gutting

Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Email Jessica Gutting
509-223-6935

Jill Moon

Physical Therapist
Email Jill Moon
509-260-5846

Karina Zandejas

Family Resources Coordinator
Email Karina Zandejas
509-667-3645

Karla Fahey

Autism Consultant/Birth-3 Special Education Teacher
Email Karla Fahey
509-260-5863

Katie Peet

Birth-3 Special Education Teacher
Email Katie Peet
509-223-6931

Kerry Sotherlund

Early Intervention Speech Language Pathologist
Email Kerry Sotherlund
509-285-9977

Leah Harris

Birth-3 Special Education Teacher
Email Leah Harris
509-260-5981

Leticia Mendoza

Speech Language Pathologist Assistant/Family Resource Coordinator
Email Leticia Mendoza
509-260-5849

Lindsey Harvey

Speech Language Pathologist
Email Lindsey Harvey
509-260-5838

Liz Williams

Birth - 3 Social Worker
Email Liz Williams
509-260-5901

Luisa Hernandez

Family Resource Coordinator/Interpreter
Email Luisa Hernandez
509-665-2620

Margarita Gonzalez

Family Resource Coordinator
Email Margarita Gonzalez
509-300-4216

Mayra Mora

Family Resource Coordinator Assistant
Email Mayra Mora
509-239-8337

Natalie Geisler

Occupational Therapist
Email Natalie Geisler
509-260-5772

Nicole Craig

Speech Language Pathologist
Email Nicole Craig
509-260-5899

Nicole Lyman

Occupational Therapist
Email Nicole Lyman
509-888-7034

Nora Gonzalez

Family Resource Coordinator/Interpreter
Email Nora Gonzalez
509-260-5959

Oralia Banuelos

Family Resource Coordinator/Para
Email Oralia Banuelos
509-260-5875

Rayana Ness

Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
Email Rayana Ness
509-260-5837

Shelby McDonald

Birth - 3 Special Education Teacher
Email Shelby McDonald
509-260-5816

Stephanie Reynolds

Early Intervention Coordinator
Email Stephanie Reynolds
509-285-9998

Victoria Vela

Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
Email Victoria Vela
509-215-3660

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