KIDS WHO COUNT

The mission of Kids Who Count is to empower families to optimize the developmental potential of their young children. We envision a community in which children of all abilities are nurtured by families and given a strong start to reach their unique individual potential.

We empower families to optimize the developmental potential of their young children by providing evidence-based Early Intervention (EI) services to children, birth to three years of age, with developmental delays and disabilities in the Nebo School District area. Early Intervention services are designed to identify and meet a child's needs in five developmental areas, including: physical development, cognitive development, communication, social or emotional development, and adaptive development. Infants and toddlers under the age of three who have a moderate delay in one or more areas of development or a diagnosed condition, may be eligible for EI. Anyone can make a referral—a parent, caregiver, or physician, but a referral from a physician IS NOT NECESSARY. Referred children receive a FREE comprehensive evaluation of their current development to determine eligibility for services. Most services provided by KWC are funded through the grant from the Utah Department of Health Baby Watch Early Intervention Program, which KWC has held since 1986. EI services are provided in the home or community setting which is familiar to the child and family. Licensed and credentialed early intervention professionals deliver multidisciplinary family-focused therapy and parent training. Children and families receive family-focused services using a coaching model to help parents learn strategies to optimize their child’s development through their own daily routines. Services include: • Comprehensive developmental evaluations including health, hearing and vision • Occupational and Physical Therapy • Speech and Language Therapy • Medical, Nursing and Nutrition • Psychology and Social Work • Parent Training, Parent Support • Assistive Technology • Toy and Equipment Lending Library.

Families participating in EI services are better able to meet their children’s special need from an early age and throughout their lives. Of course, EI is likely to be more effective and less costly when it is provided earlier in life rather than later. EI services incorporate learning in the natural environment, as required by law. Using a family-centered and coaching model approach to support infant and toddler development, in the home, is time consuming and costly, but ensures that KWC meets federal requirements of IDEA Part C and adheres to the highest standards to provide quality services to families and children in the community.

We serve all eligible children and families from diverse ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. Spanish is the primary language for 10% of the families we serve and nearly 15% of families served are Latino/Hispanic.

Kids Who Count has been the sole provider of Early Intervention services (through a grant from the Utah Department of Health Baby Watch Early Intervention program) for the Nebo School District area since 1986. The staff is made up of licensed and credentialed early intervention professionals who deliver multidisciplinary family-focused therapy and parent training. The board is made up of volunteers, many of whom have a personal or professional background in serving children with special needs. The Executive Director has been working with the Early Intervention system in Utah directly since 2009.

In almost every single category of the state's annual program profile, which highlights outcome indicators, Kids Who Count exceeds state averages. Additionally, Kids Who Count does not simply do the required minimum but seeks to expand services to better meet the needs of the families we serve. Therefore, we have developed mental health support services including individual in-home therapy, parent support groups and strengthening marriage workshops to families in our community who are not otherwise able to access these services.

Kids Who Count has also expanded its services to include Autism treatment/Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for children 2 and older.