Those of us living in Southwest Colorado know how blessed we are to be here. It is an amazing place.
We also know it has its drawbacks – high cost of living, limited employment opportunities, New Mexico news, distance from Denver (which is apparently the center of Colorado and possibly the entire universe, regardless of what your map shows) and limited access to special services and resources more available in large metro areas.
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the benefits and challenges are similar. But for young children with developmental delays, there is some hope for overcoming some of those challenges.
In Early Intervention, we identify children age birth to 3 who are experiencing delays in their early development. Children who are identified are eligible to receive services to help their families boost their development, hopefully narrowing the gap with their same-aged peers. These services are provided in the child’s home or other community setting by professionals with training in specific areas of early development.
Across the nation, Early Intervention programs are having difficulties recruiting and retaining these professionals. In Colorado, the need is particularly acute in rural and mountain communities. Like La Plata County.
Community Connections, the Early Intervention provider in Southwest Colorado, has been fortunate in its ability to maintain a team of highly competent professionals. There are still provider gaps, especially in areas of high specialization such as autism treatment.
Opportunities are increasing, though. In recent years, telehealth (i.e., direct services provided over video-conference), has grown in its popularity, particularly with the increased access to such services through web-based connections like Skype. Studies have indicated that these video sessions are highly effective and can overcome barriers of distance and weather conditions.
Another opportunity has come in the form of resources to strengthen the local provider pool. Community Connections was recently granted a Race to the Top Early Learning Grant to support a team of providers from Southwest Colorado to be trained in the Early Start Denver Model. This service model has been shown to address the developmental needs of children with autism, and the techniques can be helpful for children with and without delays. In March, a team of speech-language professionals, an occupational therapist and an Early Childhood Special Educator will be trained to implement this intervention model in La Plata and Archuleta counties.
There are also opportunities for people looking for a first or second (or third or fourth!) career to gain the skills to become Early Intervention providers. The University of North Colorado has developed an online graduate program in Early Childhood Special Education, allowing students to complete an MA online. The exciting news is that students who live in a rural or mountainous region can have up to 85 percent of tuition and fees covered for working in one of these high-need areas.
You can participate in these opportunities, too. For more information about the UNC program, contact rashida.banerjee@unco.edu <mailto:rashida.banerjee@unco.edu>. For information about becoming an Early Intervention provider in Southwest Colorado, contact pat@cci-colorado.org.
Tara Kiene is the director of case management with Community Connections Inc.
