Early Childhood Education
- Helps children with disabilities develop and learn to their fullest potential
- Enhances each family's capacity to meet the developmental needs of their child in the settings where children would be if they did not have a disability
- Respects the family's strengths, values, diversity, and competencies and answer families' questions about their child's development
- Supports communities to become more aware of the gifts and abilities of all its children
- Helps prevent the need for more costly interventions in the future
Contact: Denise Lohr at 724-219-2312 or [email protected]
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Referral Process Step-By-Step
Referrals can be made by parents, doctors, teachers, childcare providers, or others that are involved with the child and have concerns. Families with infants and toddlers (birth to three 3 years of age), please contact the Early Intervention program at Westmoreland Casemanagement Supports, Inc. at 724-837-1808.
Anyone can make a referral for a child who is of preschool age (3 to 5 years of age and has not transitioned to kindergarten), and there are two methods to do so: Submitting a referral online via the Keep Current system or calling the Early Intervention office at Westmoreland Intermediate Unit 7 at 724-219-2340.
Step 1: Submitting an online referral
Please visit www.mykeepcurrent.com, click the green “Make Referral” button, and select “Westmoreland Intermediate Unit EI” if prompted. You will then be directed to our universal referral form, where you will enter information about the child and their family:
Things To Consider when filling out the universal referral form:
- We request that you provide an email address for the family, as we can send electronic paperwork that will need to be signed at one point through this process.
- When filling out the Concerns/Suspected Disability/Delay section, please be as descriptive as possible. This will assist us in determining whether a screening or evaluation would be more suitable.
- Before you click the “Save Information” button at the end, please take a moment to double-check that the information you have provided is accurate. Attention to detail will allow this process to move at its most optimal.
- Please be aware that the referral may take up to ten (10) days to be processed.
If the child is currently in foster care: Please be aware that the referral can only be processed once we have obtained documentation that declares ownership of educational rights for the child. If you are a teacher making the referral, encourage the foster family to contact EI to discuss how best to share the documentation.
Once you have completed the referral form to the best of your ability, click “Save Information” at the bottom of the page, and the referral will be submitted. You will be redirected to the home page for confirmation. Depending on the referral's thoroughness and nature, we may need to follow up with the person submitting the referral for more information and the child’s family.
Step 2: Completing the Permission to Evaluate Packet
Once your referral has been processed, the Early Intervention program will prepare paperwork to be filled out and signed by a parent/legal guardian. We refer to this as our Permission to Evaluate (PTE) Packet.
The PTE Packet consists of various permission forms, including Educational Rights Information, Release of Information to the School District of Residence, Medical Access Billing Parental Notice/Consent, Permission To Evaluate, Student Health History, and Parent and Teacher Input Forms.
EI uses two methods to send the PTE Packet: postage or email.
If sent via postage: A return envelope will be included, as well as a list of all the forms that need to be returned.
If sent via email: You will receive an email from Collins Carlin, Early Intervention Secretary, to inform you that your referral has been processed. This email will outline the upcoming steps and how to access your PTE Packet and include a few attachments. Please read the entire email carefully, as it contains essential information.
Filling out the PTE Packet online: A link to your PTE Packet will be sent to you via an email address named [email protected]. This link will direct you to an online application called Adobe Sign, specifically for filling out and signing electronic documents via personal computer. The application will walk you through each form, providing input boxes where information must be entered.
Any required fields will be marked with a red asterisk (*). Please note that the packet can only be returned once all the necessary fields are filled in. A “Next” button can guide you to each required field. We request that you be as thorough and accurate as possible when completing this packet, as this will grant us the most insight into your child’s needs.
Once the PTE Packet is completed and all required fields are entered, a blue “Click to Sign” button will appear on your screen. Click this button, and the PTE Packet will be returned to the Early Intervention program. You will receive an email confirmation once the packet is returned, and the Early Intervention Secretary and your child’s lead evaluator will be notified.
PLEASE NOTE: ADOBE SIGN IS NOT OPTIMIZED FOR MOBILE DEVICES – SMARTPHONES, TABLETS, ETC. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER, PLEASE CONTACT THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY SO WE CAN ISSUE THE PTE PACKET VIA MAIL.
What are early intervention supports and services
How do I find Early Childhood programs and Child Care centers in my area?
Helpful On-line Resources
- Story times for specific age groups ranging from birth to five years (these programs often include songs, nursery rhymes, finger plays, and large picture books to engage infants and young children in learning)
- Special and seasonal programs for families
- Author visits and/or activities associated with PA One Book/Every Young Child initiative
- Summer reading programs for infants through elementary school age children
- Children's resource library including picture books, preschool learning books, educational computer games, books on tape, children's magazines, educational play kits, etc.
- Movie matinees/movie nights
