Early Childhood Service Programs support young children from 0-6 years of age through coaching, assessment, and family-centered intervention.
Early Childhood Service Programs are provided by an Early Childhood Behavior Support Coordinator. The coordinator supports young children with behavior needs and neurodivergent developmental profiles, including autism, ADHD, and related differences. They collaborate closely with families and community providers to build practical, evidence-based strategies that support connection, regulation, communication, play, and social development. The coordinator focuses on understanding each child’s unique strengths and needs while partnering with families, childcare providers, and classroom teams to support success in everyday routines.
Autism Diagnosis Education Program (ADEP)
The Autism Diagnostic Education Program (ADEP), developed through the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), helps families better understand whether their child may be on the autism spectrum.
ADEP is provided by the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Dr. John Crankshaw, Memorial Primary Care Urbana. The purpose of ADEP’s community-based diagnostic partnership is to increase early and timely access to a standardized, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for children with concerns in language and social development, including concerns for autism.
The average age of diagnosis is 3-5 years of age. However, parents of children with autism are able to identify developmental concerns (in the areas of social and language development) in the first year of their child’s life. Dr. Crankshaw and the CCBDD Early Intervention Program hope to decrease the length of time families have to wait from their initial concern for autism to evaluation and diagnosis. Decreasing this time will allow families quicker access to Early Intervention that can help the child and family.
The average age of diagnosis is 3-5 years of age. However, parents of children with autism are able to identify developmental concerns (in the areas of social and language development) in the first year of their child’s life. Dr. Crankshaw and the CCBDD Early Intervention Program hope to decrease the length of time families have to wait from their initial concern for autism to evaluation and diagnosis. Decreasing this time will allow families quicker access to Early Intervention that can help the child and family.
P.L.A.Y. Project
The PLAY Project is an evidence-based, parent coaching program designed to support young children with autism and other developmental differences in communication and social-emotional development. Through guided coaching visits, families learn practical strategies to build their child’s social connection, communication, and play skills during everyday interactions. Our goal is to empower parents to support their child’s development through joyful, relationship-based play.
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Through guided coaching visits in a child’s home, families learn practical strategies to build their child’s social connection, communication, and play skills during everyday interactions. Our goal is to empower parents to support their child’s development through joyful, relationship-based play.
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What to expect with P.L.A.Y. Project
Your child will be assessed by a PLAY Project Consultant and an individualized PLAY Plan will be developed. The plan is a set of techniques and activities designed to help your child reach specific goals.
The P.L.A.Y. Plan will work to:
We will help educate, guide, and support you as you learn to nurture your child’s social and emotional development; but we consider you, as parents and caregivers, to be the expert on your child. Together, we will become partners in your child’s progress. You will receive individualized coaching that empowers you to have a closer, more satisfying relationship with your child.
The P.L.A.Y. Plan will work to:
- Increase caregiver/parent and child interaction
- Increase social interaction of child with autism
- Improve social-emotional development of child with autism
- Improve autism-related diagnostic category/symptoms including behavioral compliance
We will help educate, guide, and support you as you learn to nurture your child’s social and emotional development; but we consider you, as parents and caregivers, to be the expert on your child. Together, we will become partners in your child’s progress. You will receive individualized coaching that empowers you to have a closer, more satisfying relationship with your child.
Behavior Support
Behavior Support services are available for families, childcare providers, and classroom teams who need help understanding and responding to a child’s challenging behaviors.
Services are individualized and provided through a coaching approach that builds caregivers’ skills and confidence. Together, we identify the reasons behind behaviors and develop practical strategies to support regulation, communication, and positive participation in daily routines.
Eligibility for Programs
- Champaign County Resident
- Child is between 0-6 years of age
- Child is eligible for Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities services
- For a child 0-3, eligibility is determined through Early Intervention
- For a child 3-6, eligibility is determined by the COEDI
- For a child 0-3, eligibility is determined through Early Intervention
To make a referral for ADEP, PLAY Project, or Behavior Support, call the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities at (937)653-5217 and ask for the Early Intervention Director or the Early Childhood Behavior Consultant
