The Guild's Rifkin Family / Daughters of Israel Early Intervention Program provides individualized education to infants from birth to age three who are blind or visually impaired. This program offers a multidisciplinary team approach designed to optimally stimulate a child's early development, which is critical for a child who has been diagnosed with a vision problem.

The program has two components. The first works with individual babies who are brought to The Guild by their parents or other caregivers for the following therapies: vision, occupational, speech and physical. A service coordinator is assigned to each case to schedule each of the therapies, meet with the family to establish goals and outcomes, issue progress reports and draw up an individualized family service plan. The second component of the program is designed for toddlers starting at age two. Classes are set up for a maximum of six children with a special education teacher and one assistant. These children are at the beginning stages of learning motor skills, toileting, self-care and socialization and they can receive the therapies listed above. The toddler program is three half days each week.

Services

• Vision Rehabilitation
• Sensory Stimulation
• Adapted Physical Education
• Orientation and Mobility
• Motor Development
• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Feeding Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Music Therapy
• Evaluation
• Parent Education
• Service Coordination
• PArent Support Groups

Referrals

Children are referred as soon as a doctor or parent detects a vision problem. Children who attend the programs have a broad range of eye and medical conditions, and reside in the five boroughs of New York City and throughout the metropolitan area.

Family Involvement

Family involvement is important to the success of the programs. Staff members work closely with families to:

• Develop Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs)
• Assist parents and families to make important decisions regarding their child's programs;
• Provide individualized support services; and
• Teach parents techniques that will help their child cope with blindness or visual impairment.

In addition, on-going workshops and support groups help parents deal with important issues such as separation, discipline, child development, and transition to other schools.

Transition

The Early Intervention Program includes a focus on the transition from Early Intervention to either The Guild's Preschool or to other metropolitan area preschools.

At The Guild's Preschool, the focus is on helping children prepare for inclusion in specialized and nonspecialized school settings or in a specialized setting as indicated.

Transportation

Transportation is provided.

To request information, or to make a referral, please contact:

Early Intervention or Preschool Programs
15 West 65th Street
New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212-769-6308
E-mail: infantsandtoddlers@jgb.org