United Partners in Kentucky

Infant, Toddler, & Preschool

Early Intervention – Providers of Developmental Services*

First Steps is Kentucky’s Early Intervention System. First Steps provides services to children, from birth to age 3, experiencing developmental delays or a particular medical condition that is known to cause developmental delay. Services may include Evaluation, Assessment, Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), Nutrition Consultation, Service Coordination, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Developmental Intervention, Vision and Audiological Services, Communication Development and Assistive Technology. Anyone can call and refer a child to First Steps.
Visit http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/firststeps.htm for more information on First Steps. Locate the nearest Point of Entry from the First Steps home page or call: 1-800-442-0087.

Cardinal Hill Healthcare Systems with Developmental Intervention Programs

Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital
2050 Versailles Road
Lexington, KY 40504
(859) 254-5701
Website: http://www.cardinalhill.org/rehabilitation/services_pediatrics.html

Cardinal Hill of Northern Kentucky
31 Spiral Drive
Florence, KY 41042
(859) 525-1128
Website: http://www.cardinalhill.org/northern/frames_services.html

Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Center/Easter Seals of Louisville
9810 Bluegrass Parkway
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 584-9781
Toll Free 1-888-584-9781
TDD (502) 568-1229
Website: http://www.cardinalhill.org/louisville/index.html

Cerebral Palsy KIDS Center is a multidisciplinary treatment center for children with all types of developmental delays and/or disabilities. Serving children and young adults up to the age of twenty-one with a special emphasis on the needs of children from birth to five years old. The center is located at 982 Eastern Parkway in Louisville. For more information call 502-635-6397, or visit www.cpkidscenter.com/

Head Start provides comprehensive developmental services for low-income, preschool children ages three to five and social services for their families. Head Start provides diverse services consistent with goals for: education, health, parent involvement and social services

Early Head Start expands the benefits of Head Start to low-income families with children under age three and to pregnant women. The Head Start Family Income Guidelines for 2004 are available at:
http://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/im04/im04_03a.htm

Children in foster care or from families receiving public assistance (TANF or SSI) are eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start services regardless of income.

Ten percent of enrollments are offered to children with disabilities. Children who come from families with slightly higher income may be able to participate in Head Start when space is available. Your local program can discuss this with you.

This link provides information on how to get your child into Head Start or Early Head Start.
http://faq.acf.hhs.gov/cgi-bin/acfrightnow.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=132&p_

To find a local Head Start or Early Head Start program in your area, use the on-line national Head Start Program Search Tool at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/hsweb/index.jsp.
If you are ineligible for Head Start, the Child Care Aware program can help you in locating other child care services in your community. To find the local child care resource and referral agency, please contact:

Child Care Aware
Toll-free: 800-424-2246s
Web site: http://www.childcareaware.org/

Easter Seals serves children and adults with disabilities and special needs with services designed to meet their individual needs. Easter Seals also includes families as active members of any therapy program, and offers the support families need.

Easter Seals of Northern Kentucky
31 Spiral Drive
Florence, KY 41042
859 491-1171
Web Site: For services offered and additional information

Easter Seals Kentucky
Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital
2050 Versailles Road
Lexington, KY 40504-1499
Phone: 859 254-5701
Toll Free Phone: 800 888-5377
TTY: 859 254-5701
Web Site: For services offered and additional information

Easter Seals West Kentucky Child Development Cente
801 North 29th Street
Paducah, KY 42001
Phone: 270 444-9687
Web Site: For services offered and additional information
Visit http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer for more information on Easter Seals.

The Heuser Hearing Institute, at 111 E. Kentucky Street, Louisville, KY, is a comprehensive not-for-profit hearing services center for children and adults. Established in 2001, the Heuser Hearing Institute provides educational, audiological, diagnostic, cochlear implant, and ear related medical services. Early intervention and educational follow-up for deaf or hard of hearing children, birth through grade three is provided by the Louisville Deaf Oral School.
The Heuser Hearing Institute
111 East KY StreetLouisville, KY 40203
phone: V - 502.515.3320 or TDD - 502.515.3323fax: 502.515.3325
http://www.thehearinginstitute.org/index.php3?page=home.ext

Louisville Deaf Oral School
502.636.2084

KyCARES is an online services/information directory and guide for Federal, State and Community Providers which can help you connect with providers http://kycares.ky.gov/

Kentucky Department of Education Kentucky's preschool education programs are available for all four-year-old children who are eligible for free lunch; all three and four-year-old children with developmental delays and disabilities, regardless of income; and other four-year-old children as placements are available. The preschool program is designed to be developmentally appropriate for young children. "Developmentally appropriate" is defined in law to mean that the program focuses on the child's physical, intellectual, social and emotional development, including interpersonal, intrapersonal, and socialization skills.

For a listing of schools in Kentucky, who to contact and how to contact them visit http://www.education.ky.gov/KDE/About+Schools+and+Districts/Kentucky+Schools+Directory.htm

Kentucky School for the Blind The mission of the Kentucky School for the Blind is to provide comprehensive educational services to all Kentucky students who are blind and visually impaired, birth to 21. Resources along with educational and support activities for parents of children with visual impairment are available through the KSB Family Support/Parent Resource Center.

For more information on the KSB Family Support/Parent Resource Center contact: Cathy Johnson, Director of Outreach Services, 502-897-1583, ext. 232 or cjohnson@ksb.k12.ky.us

KSB has many options to meet the diverse needs of students who are blind and visually impaired. Whether students receive direct services on campus, or indirect services through outreach, KSB’s aim is to produce first class students prepared for world class competition!

Kentucky School for the Blind
1867 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: 502-897-1583
Fax: 502-897-2994 and
502-897-2850
Website: http://www.ksb.k12.ky.us/

Kentucky School for the Deaf The Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) Early Childhood Program provides a variety of services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, their families, communities, and school districts in the state of Kentucky. The first years of a child’s life are vital because this is the age when use and understanding of language is developed, whether it be spoken or signed. Many children who are deaf or hard of hearing do not acquire a formal language during this critical acquisition time. The effects of delayed language acquisition for these children are devastating and can last a lifetime.

The Statewide Family Support Center (SFSC) is an exciting new resource for each and every family in Kentucky with a child who has a hearing loss. This unique center offers services that will enable families to better meet the needs of their deaf or hard of hearing child. They firmly believe families should have access to resources, support, and education which will enable them to make informed decisions.   The SFSC recognizes that you have hopes and dreams for your child’s future. SFSC wants to support you in every way possible.

For more Information contact:
Patricia G. Bruce,                               Or          Cathy Howle,
Family Education Specialist                              Family Education Specialist
859-239-7017 ext. 2503 TTY                            502.897.1583 ext. 108
Website: www.ksd.k12.ky.us

Lexington Hearing and Speech Center (LHSC) is a private, nonprofit agency. The Center provides services to hearing-impaired infants and children, including early identification of hearing loss, preschool and kindergarten educational programs and complete, on-site hearing services. The audiologists on staff are involved in all aspects of the Center's programs and dispenses hearing aids to a great many children and adults in the community. In addition to serving hearing-impaired children, the Center's preschool program provides services to hearing children with speech and language problems. The Center also has established an active outpatient clinic for speech and language services and an on-site day care center.
Lexington Hearing & Speech Center
162 North Ashland Avenue
Lexington, KY 40502
(859) 268-4545
http://www.lhscky.org/

LifeSkills Inc. in Bowling Green is the First Steps provider for Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren. Other services include a Child Development Center.
922 State Street
Bowling Green, KY 42102-6499
270-901-5000
Website: http://www.lifeskills.com/developmental-services.htm

NorthKey Community Care in Fort Thomas is the First Steps provider for Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton Counties in Kentucky.
For information call:
859-331-3292
877-331-3292 for toll-free
859-331-1792 for TTY
877-889-1792 for toll-free TTY
Website: http://www.northkey.org/northkey/live/index.asp?s=services&p=D

Seven Counties Services, Inc. in Louisville is the First Steps provider for Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble counties.
3717 Taylorsville Rd.
Louisville, Ky. 40220
(502) 459-0225 or 1-800-442-0087
Website:
http://www.sevencounties.org/mental_retardation_other_developmental_services.htm

Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Inc. (VIPS) is a private, non-profit agency serving blind and visually impaired children, birth to school age, and their families. VIPS offers a variety of services which address the individual needs of each child and family.
VIPS-Louisville
1906 Goldsmith Lane
Louisville, KY 40218
(502) 636-3207
FAX (502) 636-0024
Toll free 1-888-636-8477
E-mail: info@vips.org
Website: www.vips.org/index.html

The Weisskopf Center for the Evaluation of Children (WCEC) in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville, is a unique center that provides diagnostic evaluations to infants and children with, or at risk for, developmental disabilities, congenital anomalies, genetic disorders, autism, organic behavior disorders (ADHD) and learning disabilities, as well as genetic counseling to adults.

The WCEC serves as a demonstrative model for the provision of evaluation and treatment services to children and their families with autism, other developmental disabilities, and genetic disorders.

Contact Information:
571 S. Floyd St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone (502-852-5331
Fax (502) 852-0955
Website: http://pediatrics.louisville.edu/resident/weisskopf-center.htm

Other Useful Information

Flowchart on Access to Mental Health Services for Children Birth to Age 5 (2005)
Developed to help health professionals understand: the major early childhood programs in Kentucky , who is eligible for evaluations, how to refer children for services, and how to obtain evaluations that may have been conducted on their patients by those programs.

* The sole purpose of this page is to provide families and caregivers information that will allow them to make a more informed decision and to assist them seek services and providers of their choice. Any inclusion or omission of any provider is not intended to make a statement about that provider or the services offered.

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