During Child Health Month, the health department is calling attention to programs that help some of the youngest Putnam residents grow and develop. The Early Intervention and Preschool Programs coordinate therapy and other kinds of support for children and their families who meet New York State eligibility requirements. Valerie Kurtz, the Supervisor of Early Intervention and Preschool Programs has decades of experience in the field. Read what she has to say about what it means to serve the public working in these important programs.

What is your favorite part of working in the Early Intervention and Preschool Programs?

My favorite part is always watching the children and families learn to connect and play with each other as they go through the programs. Listening to parents saying they feel satisfied and elated that they can play and communicate with their child.  The smiles on the children’s faces are priceless of course also.

Is there a particularly rewarding experience you’d like to share?

There are so many success stories to share but I will say it is so rewarding helping families. Quite often I get phone calls from parents that have left the program to tell me how wonderful their child is doing and thanking me and my exemplary staff for the help that they received.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

My day-to-day schedule consists of a lot of planning for kids and their families, with school districts, creating partnerships, and finding and developing resources. I am often meeting with families, schools, and the service coordinators.

What do you wish the public knew about your job?

My goal is to ensure there is support and resources for the children and their families to enhance their child’s development. I have teamed up with Cove Care, Green Chimneys, Putnam Independent Living, and the Dutchess/ Putnam Child Care Council, to bring parents and providers together to discuss strategies and activities that will empower families to teach, connect, and play.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
We need to celebrate every moment even the smaller things in life, as every child develops differently, and they all dance to their own music.

What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

That everyone wants to be heard and that every family has strengths, and we need to ensure they see those strengths and build a solid foundation from there. Most families already have the knowledge and skills. We simply guide them.

To be eligible for Early Intervention services, a child must be under 3 years of age and have a confirmed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by NYS guidelines, in one or more of the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive. Talk to your pediatrician about a referral or make one at putnamcountyny.com/health/early-intervention. Eligibility and screening for the Preschool Program is done through your school district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE). A list of contacts for the districts Putnam children may attend can be found below or at the website listed above. If you have any questions about either program, please call 845-808-1640.

Additional Resources:

• Early Help Makes a Difference
• Developmental Milestones
• Early Intervention Steps: A Parent’s Basic Guide to the Early Intervention Program
• Ideas to Help Children Bloom
• Promote Learning Through Play – A Preferred Toy List
• Speech & Language Development Guide
• Teaching Speech and Language Skills: A Family Guide
• Tummy Time Tools
• TV Screen Sense
• CPSE Program Contact Information