CDC+ Provides Continuum of Care
The Child Development Center (CDC) has served children in the community and surrounding areas for over 52 years. Services include free developmental screenings, special education services, Early Intervention Services to include speech, occupational and physical therapy, and a NAEYC accredited preschool for children with and without special needs. On average the CDC serves 430 children with special needs ages 0-5 and 135 children without special needs ages 3-5. “We are as big as an elementary school,” states Alisha Rone, CDC’s Executive Director. “We strive to provide a place to discover, to play and to learn for all peers in conjunction with supporting children in reaching their developmental milestones.”
A year ago the CDC expanded its services to provide outpatient therapies and other services. “The CDC would serve children to the age of five, then the children would move on to K-12 and would have to re-establish with a therapist in the community for their care rather than staying where they felt secure and comfortable. ,” Rone said. “I remember seeing a family crying in the lobby as their child had turned 5 and was going onto kindergarten. They were so sad to leave their longtime therapist. That brought up the question as to why, and that’s when CDC+ was brought to life.”
CDC+ is an outpatient clinic for children that provides speech, occupational and physical therapy, and nutrition and audiology services for ages 0-21. “The one thing CDC does really well is listening to the needs of our families and responds. We recognized the need for therapies for children 0-21 years of age, the need for nutrition support and audiology services with a focus on pediatrics. Therefore CDC+ offers all of those services,” stated Jan Hinz, CDC’s Director of Therapy. “CDC has 22 therapists that specialize in speech, occupational and physical therapy for children in addition to being trained in working with children with hearing loss, torticollis, infant massage, SOS feeding and more. These same therapists serve CDC and CDC+, and the best part is that it’s all in one location.”
CDC has had a long-time relationship with the Wyoming EHDI (Early Hearing and Detection Intervention) program. When EHDI wanted to hire an audiologist that focuses on pediatrics, the CDC wanted to partner with them. Dr. Kalley Ellis, audiologist specializing in pediatrics, is now located at the CDC+ clinic in Casper. Dr. Ellis provides comprehensive hearing evaluations, fits children with hearing aids, ear molds, hearing aid maintenance and more. The newest addition to CDC+ is Abby Roich, Registered Dietician. “Nutrition is a huge component of a child’s development and that’s why we wanted to provide nutrition services to families,” stated Rone. “Again, we continue to identify the needs of children in our community and provide the support that families need. That support could be providing a reading coach, support with speech, support for picky eaters, hearing aid maintenance, motor development and so much more.”
For more information on CDC or CDC+, visit cdccasper.org or call 307-237-4477.