Cardinal Center Provides Varied Services
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Families of young children with developmental disabilities may not always know what to do or where to turn.
Cardinal Center Inc., 811 South Buffalo St., Warsaw, can help.
Several services provided by CCI are available for children as well as their parents. The programs include First Steps, Head Start, Healthy Families, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
"There's a lot of families who know we're here," said Candy Townsend, of CCI.
First Steps provides services that meet the families' needs to ensure the developmental progress of children. Children are involved in the program from birth to 3 years who have delays in their development or have a medical diagnosis. Physicians may sign statements for some of the children who may be at risk for developmental delays, said Townsend.
Once the children in First Steps reach age 3, CCI works with the family, child and school system to help them with the transition to public schools.
If a child qualifies, services at CCI are free, Townsend said. Services a child may receive through Indiana's First Steps system include special instruction, speech and language pathology, physical therapy, nutrition services, transportation, social work services, family education, vision services, occupational therapy and other services.
"The majority of the children we see have speech and language delays," Townsend said. Other children in First Steps include those with motor skills development problems, unknown medical diagnoses, autism and cerebral palsy, as well as others.
A staff of 14 works with an average of 100 children a year. Half of the children are seen in their homes. In 2000, all children will be seen in the family home. The state has mandated First Step care be given in the home beginning Jan. 1, 2000.
"We'll still be here, but we'll be looking at how we provide services - it'll be a little different," Townsend said.
On a "typical" day, Townsend said, a child is with a teacher and instructor. There are fewer than eight children in a class and the ratio is four children to every one adult.
Therapy is provided as needed. Children engage in activities similar to the average preschool class but geared down, Townsend said. Socialization skills are worked on, as is following directions. A skill time helps the children to work on such tasks as using a spoon and toilet skills.
"We look at all areas of development," Townsend said.
First Step also provides suggestions for activities families can do at home. Those activities will be especially important in 2000 when services must be provided at home. Townsend said there are many cases where both parents work and measures will be taken to make sure the child receives the necessary help.
"We'll be looking at where the child spends the majority of their day," she said. "We'll be serving children as individuals, not as groups."
Townsend said the community should be very proud of the state of Indiana because the state allows CCI to work with children who are 15 to 20 percent developmentally delayed. In other states, she said, children would have to be 50 percent delayed. Indiana allows them to work with children sooner. Percentages are based on their ages compared to where they are developmentally.
CCI can do free screenings and evaluations to determine what percentage level a child has reached. There are no waiting lists for CCI programs.
Funding for CCI programs comes from federal and state grants. Locally, the United Way and local donations also provide funding.
There are also many volunteers who work at CCI. Townsend said a local service club reads to children.
"What we really have a need for is someone who is bilingual," Townsend said.
A person who visits CCI may not get the whole picture by the building alone, Townsend said.
"I don't think the building speaks for what we do. I think the success of the children and the wonderful staff speaks for what we do," she said.
WIC is a program for low-income families that serves expectant mothers and children from birth to age 5. The effort is made to ensure that children receive proper nutrition during early development. Participants are eligible under income guidelines. Townsend said more than 1,100 families in the county are enrolled in WIC.
Head Start is a comprehensive developmental program for children ages 3 to 5 who are income eligible or are experiencing developmental delays. In Kosciusko County, 98 children are enrolled in the preschool program. Townsend said Head Start is designed to prepare children for school. Two classes meet in Warsaw, one in Mentone, one in North Webster and one at Jefferson Elementary in Winona Lake.
"A lot of children here would never have had an opportunity to be in any kind of preschool program," Townsend said.
Healthy Families is a program for first-time families. An assessment is performed of the parents' parenting skills. CCI helps the family continue to bond.
Families receive regular visits from a trained staff person who helps the family recognize the baby's needs and understand what to expect as the baby grows. Safety for the baby is also stressed.
Anyone interested in more information from or about CCI can call 267-2451. [[In-content Ad]]
Families of young children with developmental disabilities may not always know what to do or where to turn.
Cardinal Center Inc., 811 South Buffalo St., Warsaw, can help.
Several services provided by CCI are available for children as well as their parents. The programs include First Steps, Head Start, Healthy Families, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
"There's a lot of families who know we're here," said Candy Townsend, of CCI.
First Steps provides services that meet the families' needs to ensure the developmental progress of children. Children are involved in the program from birth to 3 years who have delays in their development or have a medical diagnosis. Physicians may sign statements for some of the children who may be at risk for developmental delays, said Townsend.
Once the children in First Steps reach age 3, CCI works with the family, child and school system to help them with the transition to public schools.
If a child qualifies, services at CCI are free, Townsend said. Services a child may receive through Indiana's First Steps system include special instruction, speech and language pathology, physical therapy, nutrition services, transportation, social work services, family education, vision services, occupational therapy and other services.
"The majority of the children we see have speech and language delays," Townsend said. Other children in First Steps include those with motor skills development problems, unknown medical diagnoses, autism and cerebral palsy, as well as others.
A staff of 14 works with an average of 100 children a year. Half of the children are seen in their homes. In 2000, all children will be seen in the family home. The state has mandated First Step care be given in the home beginning Jan. 1, 2000.
"We'll still be here, but we'll be looking at how we provide services - it'll be a little different," Townsend said.
On a "typical" day, Townsend said, a child is with a teacher and instructor. There are fewer than eight children in a class and the ratio is four children to every one adult.
Therapy is provided as needed. Children engage in activities similar to the average preschool class but geared down, Townsend said. Socialization skills are worked on, as is following directions. A skill time helps the children to work on such tasks as using a spoon and toilet skills.
"We look at all areas of development," Townsend said.
First Step also provides suggestions for activities families can do at home. Those activities will be especially important in 2000 when services must be provided at home. Townsend said there are many cases where both parents work and measures will be taken to make sure the child receives the necessary help.
"We'll be looking at where the child spends the majority of their day," she said. "We'll be serving children as individuals, not as groups."
Townsend said the community should be very proud of the state of Indiana because the state allows CCI to work with children who are 15 to 20 percent developmentally delayed. In other states, she said, children would have to be 50 percent delayed. Indiana allows them to work with children sooner. Percentages are based on their ages compared to where they are developmentally.
CCI can do free screenings and evaluations to determine what percentage level a child has reached. There are no waiting lists for CCI programs.
Funding for CCI programs comes from federal and state grants. Locally, the United Way and local donations also provide funding.
There are also many volunteers who work at CCI. Townsend said a local service club reads to children.
"What we really have a need for is someone who is bilingual," Townsend said.
A person who visits CCI may not get the whole picture by the building alone, Townsend said.
"I don't think the building speaks for what we do. I think the success of the children and the wonderful staff speaks for what we do," she said.
WIC is a program for low-income families that serves expectant mothers and children from birth to age 5. The effort is made to ensure that children receive proper nutrition during early development. Participants are eligible under income guidelines. Townsend said more than 1,100 families in the county are enrolled in WIC.
Head Start is a comprehensive developmental program for children ages 3 to 5 who are income eligible or are experiencing developmental delays. In Kosciusko County, 98 children are enrolled in the preschool program. Townsend said Head Start is designed to prepare children for school. Two classes meet in Warsaw, one in Mentone, one in North Webster and one at Jefferson Elementary in Winona Lake.
"A lot of children here would never have had an opportunity to be in any kind of preschool program," Townsend said.
Healthy Families is a program for first-time families. An assessment is performed of the parents' parenting skills. CCI helps the family continue to bond.
Families receive regular visits from a trained staff person who helps the family recognize the baby's needs and understand what to expect as the baby grows. Safety for the baby is also stressed.
Anyone interested in more information from or about CCI can call 267-2451. [[In-content Ad]]