Student Services and Intervention Solutions

Head Start

Click for New Enrollment!

Head Start is a federally funded early childhood program serving children and families who are most at risk in the community. The program is designed to provide comprehensive services to young children and emphasizes parent engagement.

Head Start

The Head Start Federal Performance Standards reflect the highest expectations for comprehensive services to young children and families. Head Start partners with local school districts to serve their low income children.

  • 3-5 year old children in half-day sessions
  • Feeding of children during the session is provided through the CACFP
  • Comprehensive educational program that focuses on the whole child Research-based curriculum and assessment system aligned with Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards and Federal Head Start Framework
  • Ongoing assessment and data collection of child’s growth and development
  • Vision and hearing screenings
  • Developmental screenings
  • Physical and dental examinations and follow-up
  • Family engagement through home/school communications, conferences and home visits
  • Family partnership agreements with parents are developed
    to achieve family goals
  • Collaboration with community resources for medical, oral health, mental health and social services

Head Start and Early Childhood Special Education Collaborative

This collaborative program serves preschoolers with disabilities in a Head Start classroom. The classroom is designed and co-taught by the Head Start teacher and the Special Education Teacher. All children receive the comprehensive services provided by Head Start as well as the expertise of the EC Special Education Teacher and team.

  • Staffed with a Head Start teacher, an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, and a Head Start teacher assistant
  • Speech and Language services for identified children
  • Supervision of the program
  • Comprehensive education program focusing on the whole child
  • Serving preschool children with special needs in an integrated setting
  • Research-based curriculum and assessment system
  • Management of data collection and progress reporting to parents
  • Comprehensive individualized educational program and implementation
  • Curriculum modifications responsive to an individual child’s needs
  • Psychological services, direct and consultation, with program and families
  • Integrated team approach
  • Best practices for quality early childhood programming

Contact

Stacie McMahon, Director
513.674.4587
stacie.mcmahon@hcesc.org

Early Childhood Half-Day Program – Therapeutic Needs

A trans-disciplinary team approach provides high quality programming and therapeutic interventions within a naturalistic early childhood environment for children with intensive needs in motor, communication, medical, and positioning.

This program is specifically designed for children needing high levels of modifications and adaptations to access early childhood curriculum.

Program Design

  • Experienced Early Childhood Intervention Specialist
  • Medical needs, records and health plans monitored by program nurse
  • Speech and Language therapy provided for identified students
  • Psychological services, direct and consultation, with program and families
  • Occupational therapy provided for identified students
  • Physical therapy provided for identified students
  • Integrated team approach
  • Integrated therapy model
  • Utilizing research-based practices in the development of strategies and interventions for children with intensive needs
  • Environment engineered to provide access and participation for physically challenged children
  • Augmentative and technology support for communication, movement and access
  • Wide variety of adaptive toys, equipment, activities and sensory based activities
  • Availability of positioning and seating equipment
  • Intensive therapeutic treatment by speech and language, occupational and physical therapists
  • Supervision for the program

Contact

Sandy Crowell, Supervisor
513.674.4231
sandy.crowell@hcesc.org

Stacie McMahon, Supervisor
513.674.4587
stacie.mcmahon@hcesc.org

Early Childhood Half-Day Program – Intensive Needs

Early Childhood special education services are provided in a separate early childhood classroom. The program provides services to a preschooler with a disability who has significant delays in the areas of communication, socialization and self-regulation.

A trans-disciplinary team approach provides high quality programming and therapeutic methods within a naturalistic early childhood environment for children with intensive social and communication needs. The interventions and modifications are embedded in the environmental design of the classroom to maximize effectiveness.

The program is specifically designed for children needing high level of continuity of service and environmental control.

Program Design

  • Experienced Early Childhood special educators
  • Intensive Speech and Language services
  • Psychological services, direct and consultation, with program and families
  • Occupational therapy services
  • Supervision of program
  • Integrated therapy model
  • Comprehensive individualized educational program and implementation
  • Ongoing assessment and data collection of the student’s development
  • Psychological services, direct and consultation, with program and families
  • Progress reporting to parents
  • Integrated sensory-motor approach
  • Modified curriculum and instruction
  • Utilization of specialized approaches for children with PDD/autism disorder
  • Participation in district team and IEP meetings
  • Partnering with private providers to maximize interventions
  • Development of formalized behavior plan for students as appropriate

Contact

Stacie McMahon, Supervisor
513.674.4587
stacie.mcmahon@hcesc.org

Sandy Crowell, Supervisor
513.674.4231
sandy.crowell@hcesc.org

TeleBlend Speech and Language Services

TeleBlend combines telepractice with periodic onsite visits, giving your students the benefits of both.

TeleBlend has been created for districts who have students identified as needing speech and language services and have difficulty finding a licensed and certified speech and language pathologist for full or part time positions. The SLP interacts with the students in real time via an internet connection. The SLP also makes periodic onsite visits to your school to provide direct therapy and to communicate with staff and parents. The SLP provides therapy and manages the identified caseload, conducts formal and informal assessments, attends parent teacher conferences, ETR/IEP meetings, and collaborates with the school team.

Research has documented the success of telepractice therapy to treat individuals with various speech and language disorders including articulation, autism, dysarthria, fluency, language, dysphagia, and voice disorders. Telepractice is approved by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association and the Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

Contact

Teresa Clevidence
513.674.4568
teresa.clevidence@hcesc.org

Bilingual SLP Services

To fulfill the commitment to supporting the learning of all students who are English Language Learners, a bilingual speech-language pathologist is available to provide assessment, treatment, consultation, and training to support dual language learners.

  • Speech-language assessment of English Language Learners with suspected disability
  • Speech-language consultation with teams regarding struggling ELL students
  • Staff training regarding second language acquisition, language difference vs. disorder, teaching strategies, etc.
  • Family consultations about speech-language development
Evaluation Request

Contact

Julie Hauck, Supervisor
513.674.4551
Julie.hauck@hcesc.org

Speech and Language Services

Direct, consultative, and evaluative services are available to children with communication disorders as they affect educational performance. Consultation and professional development are also provided to districts as needed.

ODE and Ohio Board licensed Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

  • Understand state and federal rules, regulations and standards that support research-based practices
  • Align speech and language competence to educational performance in the classroom through assessment and intervention
  • Collaborate with school personnel, parents, and agencies to develop interventions and to find appropriate resources
  • Provide full and/or part-time SLP services to schools
  • Are supervised for their Professional Experience Year if they are recent graduates and new employees. This supervision is required by the Ohio TeleBlend Speech & Language Services Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and national certification (ASHA CCCs)
  • Have access to professional resources, including the SLP Collaboration Website
  • Receive Word of Mouth newsletter
  • Receive professional development from local, state and national experts in the field of speech-language pathology. This professional development is required to maintain state ODE and state licensure. Hamilton County ESC is an American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA)-approved continuing education provider.

Professional Development for district-hired SLPs

  • Word of Mouth newsletter
  • Access to professional resources including the Hamilton County ESC SLP Collaboration website and tests/materials loaning library
  • Professional development from local, state and national experts in the field of speech-language pathology. This professional development is required to maintain state ODE and state licensure. Hamilton County ESC is an American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) approved continuing education provider.

Contact

Julie Hauck
513.674.4551
julie.hauck@hcesc.org

Renee Zegar
513.674.4556
renee.zegar@hcesc.org

School Health Services

At Hamilton County ESC we are committed to helping each district maximize health and wellness efforts for the benefit of students and staff. We employ a variety of health service personnel including Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN) and RNs with the ODE School Nurse license.

How we help your district

  • Providing direct health services to students
  • Conducting on-site consultation and assessment of current services
  • Providing guidance related to organization and maximizing efficiency

Packages may include

  • Licensed School Nurses
  • Registered Nurses
  • Licensed Practical Nurses
  • Blended service model

Contact us to see how we can create a customized health services package specific to your district, according to your student needs and budget. Please see School Nursing Services for more detailed description of the direct services our nursing professionals can provide.

Contact

Theresa Warren
513.674.4349
theresa.warren@hcesc.org

School Nursing

Nurses support the academic success of all students by helping to address existing and potential health barriers to learning. All Hamilton County ESC School nurses are Registered Nurses that specialize in the practice of nursing within schools and are licensed through the Ohio Department of Education as a “School Nurse.”

School Nurses provide a wide range of comprehensive services to students, families, and school communities in compliance with local, state, and federal legislation.

School Nurses

  • Provide direct care for students including management of illness, injury, emergency, medication, medical treatments, screenings, and case management of students with complex medical health needs
  • Collaborate with school personnel, parents, healthcare providers and community agencies regarding student needs in the physical, social, emotional, and psychological areas
  • Participate in or lead school wellness initiatives through program development, implementation, and evaluation activities
  • Assist with individual and group health education by providing health information and resources for students, families, and staff
  • Adhere to professional School Nursing Standards of Practice and maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in nursing and school health
  • Generate reimbursement revenue by billing Medicaid for direct services to eligible students through the Ohio Medicaid School Program (per district participation)
  • Adhere to professional School Nursing Standards of Practice and maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in nursing and school health
  • Receive orientation, professional resources and forms, mentoring, supervision, and performance reviews from a qualified School Nursing Supervisor

School Nursing Consultation & Staff Development for district-hired school nurses

  • Consultation and mentoring including on-site visits to your school
  • Access to Hamilton County ESC School Nurse Collaboration Website
  • Access to Hamilton County ESC Policy and Procedure handbook
    with additional resources and form templates
  • Professional meetings focusing on school health issues and nursing practice

Contact

Theresa Warren
513.674.4349
theresa.warren@hcesc.org

School Psychological Services

School psychologists provide a full range of comprehensive services to school communities in compliance with local, state, and federal legislation. School psychologists utilize best practices to collaborate in defining and solving problems, planning and implementing programs, providing supportive consultation, and delivering direct service to students and families.

Click to learn more!

School Psychological Services Benefits include

  • Consistency of personnel
  • Recruiting, interviewing, mentoring and supervision saves district time and expense
  • Customized and pre-service training for full- or part-time school psychologists
  • Continuous professional development specific to school psychology
  • Face-to-face support on cases and legal/professional issues
  • Individual school psychologists’ network with our large staff of school psychologists, intervention and support staff and consultants to gain information to best support school communities

School Psychologists will

  • Provide information about mental health issues of children
  • Know best practices in the field of education
  • Implement problem-solving strategies
  • Conduct assessment and evaluation
  • Understand violence prevention and participate in crisis prevention and intervention
  • Perform individual and group counseling
  • Assist in academic and behavioral interventions for school-wide, targeted group, and/or individual students [MTSS/RtI and PBIS]
  • Participate on teacher-based teams and committees
  • Collaborate to develop, provide and evaluate in-service

Consultation and Staff Development for District-Hired School Psychologists

  • Access to specialized assessment equipment and resource library materials
  • Consultation with district and building administrators regarding state and federal special education regulations
  • Quarterly professional development designed specifically for school psychologists

Contact

Tracy Papania
513.674.4308
tracy.papania@hcesc.org

Michelle Ellis
513.674.4374
michelle.ellis@hcesc.org

School Counseling Services

School counselors provide a full range of comprehensive services to individuals and schools that focus on student outcomes. School counselors assist in the development of school counseling core curriculum and responsive services protocols to deliver direct services to students and the school community.

Benefits

  • Recruiting, interviewing, mentoring and supervising saves school time and expense
  • Customized full- or part-time school counselors
  • Consistency of personnel
  • Continuous professional development specific to school counseling
  • Face-to-face support on cases and legal/professional issues
  • Individual school counselors network with our intervention and support staff colleagues and consultants to gain information

School Counselors

  • Keep the school community informed to encourage active participation in the school counseling program
  • Coordinate systemic activities to assist students in establishing personal goals and developing future plans
  • Provide class and group counseling for assisting students to attain developmentally relevant skill competencies
  • Perform responsive individual and/or group counseling to meet students’ immediate needs

Consultation and Staff Development for District-Hired School Counselors

  • Consultation with district and building administrators regarding state and federal education regulations
  • Professional development designed specifically for school counselors

Contact

Michelle Ellis
513.674.4374
michelle.ellis@hcesc.org

Tracy Papania
513.674.4308
tracy.papania@hcesc.org