 That means local families who are referred to the program for
assistance will have the option to choose ALMH for speech therapy,
since Janna Shaw, a speech pathologist and certified member of the
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, has joined the
hospital's rehabilitation services department.
"It provides a level of service to the community that ALMH has
not been able to provide in a number of years," says Todd Mourning,
director of rehab services. "This allows us to branch out our
services to a population we don't often serve."
It's also good news to those families who seek continuity of
care, as Shaw had been working in Early Intervention in the Lincoln
area before joining ALMH.
"She was really, really helpful with Ethan," says Erica Maynard,
whose 2-year-old son has been in speech therapy since he was 15
months old. "I knew no matter where she went, I wanted her to
continue to see Ethan. I'm definitely grateful (ALMH could add the
service). Janna's really educated and has worked wonders with
Ethan."
[to top of second column]
 |
The Early Intervention program helps children under 3 who are
experiencing developmental delays in one or more of the following
areas: cognitive development, physical development, language and
speech development, psychosocial development, and self-help skills.
The program's goal, according to the Illinois Department of Human
Services, is to promote the child's optimal development and to
facilitate the child's participation in family and community
activities. Services include, but are not limited to, developmental
evaluations and assessments, physical therapy, occupational therapy,
speech-language therapy, nutrition services, psychological services,
and social work services. ALMH is currently offering assistance only
in the area of speech therapy.
Anyone interested in learning more about Early Intervention
services can call Janna directly at 217-732-5065 or e-mail
rehab@almh.org.
[Text from file received
from Abraham Lincoln Memorial
Hospital] |
