Early Start (Ages 0-3)
Supporting Critical Development in the First Three Years
The Early Start Program is here to support families to make sure their children are reaching their developmental milestones from ages birth to three. Through our Early Start intervention program, infants and toddlers with special needs receive coordinated services during the first three developmentally critical years of a child’s life.
Eligible children are those infants or toddlers (birth - 36 months) who:
- Have a significant delay in at least one area of development:
- cognitive - ability to perceive, think, problem-solve, and remember information
- physical - including fine & gross motor, vision, and hearing)
- communication - speech and language, including understanding and using gestures, facial expressions, and signing
- social or emotional - the ability and motivation to relate to others
- adaptive - including self-care such as dressing, eating, self-direction, and problem-solving
- Are at risk of having a developmental delay or disability
- Have a condition with a known probability of causing a delay or disability
If you are concerned about your child’s development the first step is to have your child referred for an evaluation. Anyone can make a referral to the Early Start Program.
A child can qualify for the Early Start program if they have a 33% delay in one or more areas of development, have an established risk for developmental delay, or are high risk by having two or more high risk factors, such as:
- prematurity of less than 32 weeks
- central nervous center infection
- or other identified high risk factors during the first three years of life
During the evaluation, a child’s fine and gross motor, communication, learning, social, and emotional development are evaluated. Once this process is completed and if your child is found eligible for Early Start Services, an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed for your child and family.
For more information or to make a referral, contact:
Redwood Coast Regional Center
1116 Airport Park Blvd.
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 462-3832
Fax: (707) 462-3314
Mendocino County Office of Education
2240 Old River Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 467-5181
Mendocino County Department of Public Health
1220 S. Dora Street
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 472-2600
Main Contacts
Senior Director- Special Education
Supervisor- Special Education
Teacher- Early Start
Teacher- Early Start
Teacher- Early Start
Teacher- Early Start
Teacher - Early Start
Instructional Paraprofessional
Instructional Paraprofessional
Speech & Language Specialist
Speech & Language Specialist
Speech & Language Pathologist
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