Resource Guide: CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Last Updated; August 24, 2009

Child Development Services (CDS)

146 State House Station
Burton Cross State Office Building, 5th Floor
Augusta, Maine 04330
Debra Hannigan, Director
624-6660 (V)
1-888-577-6690 (TTY)
624-6661 (FAX)
Debra.Hannigan@maine.gov

Child Development Services (CDS) is the statewide system responsible for providing services to children ages birth to five (not yet in school) who have disabilities. This program is through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). CDS operates sixteen regional offices throughout the state to arrange and deliver therapy, education and other related services to children and their families. CDS will find a consultant who will work with the family to provide services and support to the child and family until the child enters school.

Child Protective Intake-Department of Health and Human Services

11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0011
1-800-963-9490 (TTY)
1-800-452-1999 or 626-8620 (V)
287-5065 (FAX)

24-hour hotlines to report child abuse and neglect statewide.

Community Counseling Center

343 Forest Avenue
Portland, ME 04101
874-1043 (TTY)
874-1030 (V)
1-866-298-7410 (VP)
874-1044 (FAX)

Web site: www.commcc.org

6 State Street, Suite 612
Bangor, ME 04473
947-4682 (TTY)
262-4311 (V)
1-866-548-9987 (VP)
262-6044 (FAX)

Child Mental Health Case Managers (Targeted Case Management):

Melinda Smith, BSW
E-mail: msmith@commcc.org

Jolene MacDonald, BA
E-mail: jmacdonald@commcc.org

Kelly Matthews, BSW (primarily in Bangor region)
E-mail: jmacdonald@commcc.org

Case management for children and adults is available in the Portland, Bangor, Augusta, Lewiston, and Sanford regions. All of our staff is fluent in American Sign Language. We work with individuals with minor hearing loss as well as those who are profoundly deaf. We support individuals and families in whatever communication mode that works best for them. MaineCare funds case management services.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program (DHHP)

Children’s Hospital Boston at Waltham
9 Hope Avenue
Waltham, ME 02453
(781) 216-2210 (TTY)
(781) 216-2215 (V)
(781) 216-2252 (FAX)

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program is an interdisciplinary clinical and research group within the Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Disorders at the Children’s Hospital. The clinical team includes specialists in psychology, audiology, education, medicine, speech and language, psychiatry, and communications. DHHP provides comprehensive evaluation and consultative services to deaf and hard of hearing children, their physicians, families and schools. Staff work with children and families from diverse locations and backgrounds covering the full pediatric age spectrum, from infants to teens. DHHP serves as a center for coordination of evaluations, referrals, research, guidance and information for families and agencies.

hear ME now!

P.O. Box 896
Portland, ME 04104

Pam Dawson, Executive Director
688-4544 (V)
688-4548 (FAX)
E-mail: info@hear-me-now.org

hear ME now! offers oral deaf early intervention and public school outreach programming. We specialize in providing services to children and adults with cochlear implants and hearing aids who wish to communicate through listening and speaking.

Parent/Infant Program:

This program is appropriate for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, birth to age 2 years, who are considering choosing to teach their child(ren) to listen and to speak. Attending the group meeting are parents, children who are deaf or hard of hearing, their hearing siblings, any extended family members, a teacher of the deaf, a developmental therapist and speech-language pathologist. The dialogue between parents with children of different ages is a valued component to this program, as parents learn from parents who have been in similar situations.

Toddler Program:

This program includes a children’s playgroup facilitated by teachers in working with young children with hearing loss, and home visits with ongoing parent support. Occupational therapy (OT) services and consultation, as well as individual speech/language services are also available.

Preschool Program:

This class of combined three and four year olds includes both typically hearing children and those with hearing loss. The program is developmentally based and offers many play activities that are designed to naturally promote opportunities for children to listen and talk to their teachers and peers. The classroom provides a wide range ofopen-ended play props to support sustained play.

Preschool Extended Care: until 4:00 PM

Our new extended care offers an opportunity for a longer day in a relaxed, small group setting. A project-based approach will give children a chance to explore topics of special interest to them – with lots of time to play.

Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) and Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (GBSD)

Statewide Educational Services (SES) Mackworth Island
Falmouth, ME 04105
Lynn Schardel, Director
781-6288 (V/TTY)
781-6220 (FAX)
E-mail: lynn.schardel@mecdhh.org
Web site: www.mecdhh.org

The Statewide Educational Services Department (SES) provides educational programming, information, support and training to families, students and professionals statewide, and encompasses the following programs:

Early Childhood and Family Services Program

Early Childhood and Family Services (ECFS) provides information, support and training to families and professionals statewide. We support the choices that families make to benefit their children and assist families with identifying appropriate resources that will help them meet the individual needs of their infant and young child.

For questions and referrals to the Early Childhood and Family Services, contact:
Karen Hopkins, ECFS Program Coordinator
Mackworth Island
Falmouth, ME 04105

781-6335 (V/TTY)

1-866-231-8910 (V/TTY)
781-6220 (FAX)
E-mail: karen.hopkins@mecdhh.org

Public School Outreach Program

The Public School Outreach (PSO) programs assist service providers in offering a beneficial and positive education experience within the local school district for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. This is accomplished through:

·Educational consultation, technical assistance, in-service training, networking, student awareness programs and in-depth diversity trainings.
·Peer support programs available regionally for deaf and hard of hearing students grades 1-5, (“Kids Like Me”), and adolescent support programs for students in grades 6-12.

For questions and referrals to the Public School Outreach Program, contact:
Angela Bruno, PSO Program Coordinator
Mackworth Island
Falmouth, ME 04105
781-6224 (V/TTY)
781-6220 (FAX)
E-mail: angela.bruno@mecdhh.org

Parent Infant/Toddler Program

Governor Baxter School for the Deaf
Mackworth Island
Falmouth, ME 04105
Lara Hurt
781-6213 (V/TTY)
781-6220 (FAX)
E-mail: lara.hurt@mecdhh.org

The Parent Infant Toddler Program offers a family centered approach. Services are provided to parents and caregivers, children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have suspected hearing loss, and their siblings. A multidisciplinary approach is used to meet the needs of families. The program meets twice each week with offerings for the parents including a parent support group, audiology support sessions, and an ASL class. The Parent Infant Toddler program supports the continuum of communication options.

Preschool Program

Governor Baxter School for the Deaf
Mackworth Island
Falmouth, ME 04105
Sammy Hargis, Program Coordinator
781-6221 (V/TTY)
781-6220 (FAX)
E-mail: sammy.hargis@mecdhh.org

The preschool program offers a language enriched developmentally based program of learning for deaf and hard of hearing children ages 3 to 5. The program is rich in experiences, which foster and nurture the child’s language development and sense of self. Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) goals are followed in the daily plans in the preschool.

The ASL Preschool is a Bilingual environment, offering children American Sign Language (ASL) as the language of daily interactions and communication in the classroom, and English in print, as developmentally appropriate. Both languages overlap in many ways and one often supports the other. Preschool aged siblings are welcome to join the preschool depending on space availability.

The Sound ‘n Sign Preschool utilizes spoken/written English and American Sign Language (ASL) as two separate languages. Children spend a portion of the morning in the ASL preschool and then move to the Sound ‘n Sign classroom. Children will be encouraged to develop auditory, listening and oral language skills. Expressive and receptive ASL growth and development will also be fostered.

The Communication Garden provides a language-enriched, developmentally appropriate program. The children who attend are three to five-year-olds with a variety of speech, language, and communication skills. Some are experiencing delays and are receiving developmental therapy services. Others are typically developing and act as social language models. The classroom environment has been adapted to minimize background noise and reverberation.

Maine Newborn Hearing Program (MNHP)

11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
1-800-606-0215 (TTY)
1-800-698-3624 (V)
287-5357 (V)
287-6879 (V)
207-287-4743 (FAX)

The Maine Newborn Hearing Program is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This program coordinates hospital newborn hearing screening programs and follow-up of infants with hearing loss. The Program is able to provide resource and referral information for families who have an infant with hearing loss.

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