Because of a change in state law, many children who would lose access to the state’s Early Intervention therapy services are now able to continue their services with La Rabida’s Child and Family Connections (CFC) if they have summer birthdays. Carol Muhammad, a program administrator for CFC, says it’s a big step toward increasing school readiness for kids who might need an Individualized Education Program, or an IEP.

“This change will hopefully shrink the gap when it comes to access for quality early childhood programming,” she says. La Rabida was highlighted in a WBEZ radio story about the expansion earlier this month, which you can listen to here.

The new state law now enables children with developmental delays or disabilities, who turn three over the summer, to continue therapy until the end of August or move to special education through their school district.

“Oftentimes if we didn’t hand walk them to the school we are hearing many of the times children are coming in into kindergarten when they should have been in a 3 to 5 program,” she says. “But the family may not have understood the process, been frustrated, or turned away at the door. There were too many barriers for those families.”

Nearly 20% of La Rabida patients (out of roughly 1000) will likely qualify for these extended services. Once they opt-in (families have to choose this) they will be evaluated for continuing services. Parents say they are thrilled to have more support.

“They [early intervention therapists] have held my hand through the entire process,” mom Shereese Bishop says. Her son Oba is receiving therapy now through CFC and thriving after being born prematurely.

“We are pushing him to speak in 3-word sentences, and use his words instead of merely pointing at objects,” she says.

She says with the expansion of services she hopes CFC and La Rabida will help her navigate Oba’s needs at a CPS school when he’s ready to enroll.

Click the link below to listen to the full story as featured on WBEZ Chicago.