If you have received word from your Keystone Star connected facility or other childcare facility that your child is having behavior concerns and your child may be at risk of suspension or expulsion you have a few options. Below please see some options for you and your family

Contact the CONNECT Helpline for Referral: 1-800-692-7288

* Receive a referral for Program Support

*If you have a pre-existing or established relationship with your local EI Services provider or Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC), please reach out to them directly to receive program support.

*If the child is already receiving EI Services:

 The IFSP/IEP Team will respond by having a discussion about adding a previously unidentified behavior to the IFSP/IEP or work with child care personnel to develop or share strategies.

*If the child has not previously been evaluated for EI services:

 Work with the child’s family to schedule an EI evaluation. The child will either receive EI Services, or the EI evaluator will assist the family in accessing other supports.

*If the child has previously been evaluated for EI Services and does not qualify:

 Contact EI services with concerns and ask about re-evaluation.

* In the interim, continue to work with the ELRC in order to receive appropriate program supports.

Call the Early Learning Resource Center at 1-877-472-5437 Statewide referral number for your local ELRC Child Care Consultants site.

Live in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry or York County? Contact Community Connections for Children at 717-881-2306. Or call Erica Heller at Keystone STARS Program 717-771-8571 to discuss some options for your center and your child.

Community Connections for Children, Inc. (CCC) is a non-profit child care resource and referral agency, founded in 1987. As the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) for Regions 9 and 10 in Pennsylvania, CCC serves Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties.

· The IFSP/IEP Team will respond by adding a previously unidentified behavior to the IFSP/IEP or work with child care personnel to develop or share strategies. If the child has not previously been evaluated for EI services:

· Work with the child’s family to schedule an EI evaluation. The child will either receive EI Services, or the EI evaluator will assist the family in accessing other supports. If the child has previously been evaluated for EI Services and does not qualify:

· Contact EI services with concerns and ask about re-evaluation. In the interim, continue to work with the Early Learning Resource Center in order to receive appropriate program supports.

All Childcare Centers are to be certified. Certification means they are Keystone STAR connected. Call your local Community Connections for Children for more information on how they can support you.

717-881-2306
1-800-864-4925

Contact Community Connections for Children to locate a facility near you to find one that may best suit your child's needs

717-881-2306 Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and York County residents

Toll Free 1-800-864-4925

EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES

Contact Capital Area Intermediate Unit if your child is 3 years old to school age

717-732-8400 x 8382 to discuss screening options for possible supports

Parents who have questions about their child's development may contact the CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288. The CONNECT Helpline assists families in locating resources and providing information regarding child development for children ages birth to age 5. In addition, CONNECT can assist parents by making a direct link to their county early intervention program or local preschool early intervention program.

To make a referral for early intervention, please call the CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288.

OCDEL works with many partners to create opportunities for the commonwealth’s children. Parents, schools, child care, early intervention, Head Start, libraries, community organizations and other stakeholders have joined with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning to provide high quality early childhood programs and effective prevention strategies to mitigate challenges faced by families that affect school readiness and academic success.

As a partner with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, The PA Key offers a multitude of services for children and their families to help assist with their early education.

https://www.pakeys.org/getting-started/about-us/#:~:text=The%20Pennsylvania%20Key%20(PA%20Key,developed%20and%20managed%20by%20O

There are times when a center feels there is a need for additional support for your child's behaviors. This could be in reference to a community agency based support for behaviors. This attached flow chart can help you find resources to determine if your child qualifies for mental health/behavioral health supports.

Promoting Inclusion and Reducing Expulsion and Suspension

CAIU Rapid Response Team: What is it?

The CAIU Rapid Response Team is a team that is deployed to a child care center to help assist the center with providing additional strategies and tools when a pre-school aged child or children are experiencing difficult behaviors and at risk of being expelled or suspended. The children are not currently connected to an Early Intervention Program. The Rapid Response Team is an additional support some of the counties in the Child Care Consultants/Early Learning Resource Center Region 9 area. The team can be accessed through the CCC referral system. The goal of the RR Team is to help children retain in their child care setting and to prevent expulsion and suspension due to challenging behaviors

Check with your local Early Learning Resource Center near you to see if you have a Rapid Response Team in your area. https://www.dhs.pa.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/ELRCs.aspx