Empowering families with children who have developmental delays

When your child has a developmental delay, it can be scary, confusing and overwhelming. We’ll help navigate the challenges, celebrate the milestones and help your child reach his or her full potential.

Qualifications

Children ages 0-3 who have one of the following may participate in Early Steps (list is not exhaustive):

General developmental delays
Communication delays
Autism
Cerebral Palsy
Hearing impairments
Down Syndrome

CHS offers Early Steps in the Big Bend region, covering Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Franklin, Taylor, Madison, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties.

What to expect

We work alongside you to enhance your child’s development so he or she is ready for school. You are your child’s greatest teacher, so we build upon your strengths and empower you to advocate for your family.

We can visit you in your home so your family – especially your child – is most comfortable.

You’ll learn how everyday activities – bedtime, mealtime and bath time – can help your child learn and grow.

You’ll also learn how to guide your child through tough times, and we’ll empower you to navigate through the complex systems that provide support and assistance to your family.

Our Resource Specialists have been through all of it – before they became Early Steps Resource Specialists, they were Early Steps clients. They know firsthand the challenges and rewards of raising children with developmental delays. And they know how to access the resources that can help you along the journey.

Additional services include:

Physical, speech and occupational therapy
Early intervention instruction
Special equipment
Annual assessments
Connections to other local resources

Operating hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CT

We offer this in the following regions:

Early Steps Forms:

Early Steps Form Early Steps Referral Form

Downloadable Forms:

The Early Steps Approach: An Overview for Families
The relationships children have with their parents and other caregivers are important to early child‐ hood development. These relationships are the foundation of the Early Steps approach to promoting child development.

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Early Steps