Eligibility and Referrals
Children between the ages of 12 months and 5 years of age who demonstrate delays in the areas of relating, communicating, play and sensory processing, would be eligible for services. Referrals usually come from pediatricians, mental health professionals, Birth to Three agencies, and public school early intervention programs. Parents may self-refer, but they would also need to follow up with a referral from one of the above.

Individualized Services
Family First recognizes that each child and family is unique, with their own special strengths and challenges. Families who are referred need not have a diagnosis. Children who demonstrate developmental delays related to social communication, but who do not fit the full criteria of a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, would benefit from the type of intervention offered by Family First. With these families, we would take a more informal approach, including them in small, facilitated playgroups and doing functional developmental assessments as appropriate.

In cases where there is a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, we would offer families the more formal and intensive services of the PLAY Project model. These services could be inclusion in a small, facilitated playgroup and/or 1:1 training sessions in the home with family or other primary care givers or Birth to Three service providers. Families will also have the support of a transdisciplinary team that can help guide them through the maze of early intervention. Fees for services are charged, but scholarships are available on a sliding scale.

Collaboration
Although Family First primarily uses the DIR® /Floortime approach, we recognize that other therapies and intervention models may be a part of a child’s intervention program. DIR/Floortime training is meant to directly support families and caregivers, supplementing intervention services the child may already receive and we would seek ways to work together and collaborate with other providers in ways that would support the child’s overall growth and development. 

Family Consultation Typically Includes:

	Initial assessments of a child’s developmental capacities, biological challenges, and family interaction patterns.
	Expertise of a transdisciplinary team consisting of a special educator, speech pathologist, occupational therapist and physical therapist with a broad knowledge base.
	Twice per month training sessions in the home or at Family First .
	Training sessions roughly divided into 30% modeling techniques, 30% coaching the family and 30 % feedback.
	Videotaping of PLAY interactions.  Parents receive videotape after session with voice over feedback and written suggestions to review and share with other caregivers.
	Small facilitated play groups.
	Assistance with IFSP or IEP Goals.
	Documentation of progress using a combination of family information, various questionnaires/assessments and video rating scales.
	Moderate fees with financial aid available on a sliding scale.

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