Monterey County

Countywide Coordination

In Monterey County, a multi-agency Special Needs Task Force supports coordinated and comprehensive services and has increased early identification and intervention to help infants with special needs.

Results

• Comprehensive service referrals
• An infant stimulation and parent education program for children 0 to 3
• Day classes and home-based services for parents with toddlers
• Parent-child playgroups and an on-going parent dialogue support group
• Developmental screening, medical treatment, comprehensive psychological assessments, occupational therapy, home visiting and dyadic therapy to high risk children under five
• A summer transition to kindergarten program
• Community-based services with co-location at four Family Resource Center sites
• Infant and preschool mental health services
• Dyadic therapy (including Theraplay and PCIT)
• Mental health consultation to 18 area Head Start centers and 19 preschool classrooms
• Reflective supervision for selected family child care providers

Key Partners

• Monterey County Children’s Behavioral Health Team
• Office of Education Program for Infants with Special Needs
• Monterey County Screening Team for Assessment, Referral and Treatment
• The First 5 California Special Needs Project
• First 5 California and First 5 Monterey County
• Alisal Union School District