Participating Programs

Preschool Special Education, IDEA Part B Section 619

Early identification and intervention for young children with special needs is critical for their future academic success. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 mandates that special education services and support be provided through the public schools for young children with disabilities beginning at age 3.

Eligibility:

In Georgia, young children must receive a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility for special education and related services. School districts in Georgia serve over 18,000 young children with disabilities.

Contact the local school district’s special education office for more information.

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Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS)

The Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program support families and with low income with: 1) the cost of child care so that they can work or attend job training or school, 2) assisting families with services and supports to help navigate their children’s early years.

Eligibility:

Eligibility is based on family income level, work or school requirements, or priority group status.

For more information http://caps.decal.ga.gov

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Babies Can’t Wait (IDEA Part C)

The Babies Can’t Wait (Part C) program brings occupational, speech, physical therapy services, etc. to children with special healthcare needs to their natural environment (e.g. home, daycare, community centers).

Eligibility: Your income does not determine eligibility into the program.

Age Eligibility:Birth through 2 years of age

Child has received a diagnosed physical or mental condition that may result in a developmental delay, such as, Down syndrome, Spina Bifida, Fragile X etc.

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Children 1st

Children 1st is a program within the Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Maternal and Child Health Section. To help provide families with an easier way to access needed services, Children 1st focuses on a single point of entry to all Child Health programs, and provides linkages with additional public health programs and other prevention-based programs and services.

Available in all counties throughout the state of Georgia, the mission of Children 1st is to identify children who may be at greater risk for poor health and developmental outcomes and identify necessary options to ensure optimal health and development.

Eligibility:

Children 1st is available to all children birth to five years of age who live in Georgia and have confirmed or suspected eligible medical conditions, or socio-environmental risk factors, such as insecure housing, unemployed care takers or exposure to lead.

How to refer a child to Children 1st:

1. At birth, children are screened to identify disorders that may have been inherited by family genetics and others that may have been present from birth. If any of these screenings are positive, the child will automatically be referred to the Children 1st program.
2. During well child visits, a pediatrician screens children for significant developmental milestones, such as holding a bottle, crawling or communicating. The pediatrician may refer a child to Children 1st if he/she is not meeting significant milestones or presents with other risk factors.
3. Parents, family members, educators, or friends can refer a child to Children 1st if they have concerns about the child’s growth, development, or environment in which the child resides.

Contact: For more information about Children 1st, please visit http://dph.georgia.gov/children1st or call 1-800-300-9003.

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The Georgia Department of Public Health’s Home Visiting Program is supported by federal Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)

funding and the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant. The Georgia Home Visiting Program is offered in targeted counties in Georgia and includes 4 evidence-based models:

1. Parents as Teachers
2. Healthy Families America
3. Nurse Family Partnership
4. Early Head Start Home-based Option

The overall outcomes for the home visiting models are:

• Improved maternal and child health
• Prevention of child injuries, child abuse, or maltreatment
• Reduction of emergency department visits
• Improvement in school readiness and achievement
• Reduction in crime or domestic violence
• Improvement in family economic self-sufficiency
• Improvement in the coordination and referrals for other community resources and supports

Eligibility:

Depending on the evidence-based home visiting model, the Georgia Home Visiting Program serves pregnant women and young children 0 to 5 years of age.

Contact: For more information visit www.greatstartgeorgia.com or contact Shelena King, Home Visiting Coordinator, Shelena.King@dph.ga.gov

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Georgia’s Pre-K

Georgia’s Pre-K Program is a state lottery funded educational program that prepares children for success in Kindergarten and later school years. Pre-K programs operate in all 159 Georgia counties in a variety of settings including local public schools and private providers of preschool services. Georgia’s Pre-K provides 6.5 hours of instructional time per day, and programs usually operate on the local school system calendar.

Eligibility:

Children four years of age on September 1st of the current school year that reside in Georgia are eligible to attend Georgia’s Pre-K Program. To learn more about Georgia’s Pre-K Program, visit www.decal.ga.gov or contact Bright from the Start at 404-656-5957 (toll free at 1-888-4GA-PREK).

Summer Transition Program

The Summer Transition Program (STP) is a six-week intensive academic program with a focus on language, literacy, and math for rising Pre-K and Kindergarten children who meet income eligibility requirements.

For Rising Pre-K, eligible children must be entering Georgia Pre-K or Head Start and have Spanish as a home language. For Rising Kindergarten, eligible students either did not attend Georgia’s Pre-K or Head Start, or did attend but need additional support before entering kindergarten.

For more information, visit http://www.decal.ga.gov/Prek/SummerTransitionProgram.aspx

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Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start is a federally funded program designed to promote the school readiness of children ages birth to 5 from low-income families. Parents and families are also supported in achieving their own goals, such as housing stability, continued education, and financial security.

In general, eligibility is based on family income at or below the poverty level. However, families with other situations including homelessness, and children in foster care, or receiving SSI or TANF also are eligible. Georgia is home to 31 funded Head Start/EHS grantees serving over 25,000 children and their families each year.

The Georgia Head Start Association, Inc. (GHSA) is a statewide non-profit organization with the mission to provide education, leadership and advocacy on behalf of the grantees funded across the state.

For more information, visit https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

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Foster Care:

The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services investigates child abuse, provides foster homes for abused and neglected children, assists low to moderate income families through financial assistance, and provides many other support services for communities. The data in CACDS represents children in foster care. For more information, visit

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