Rise now Monadnock Region’s only early intervention center

Keene’s Rise for Baby and Family is the sole provider of early intervention services for children and their families in the Monadnock Region after it merged its program with the one offered by Monadnock Developmental Services.

Families were notified in early July about the merger, according to MDS Executive Director Mary Anne Wisell.

Rise, at 147 Washington St., and MDS, at 121 Railroad St., in Keene both previously offered an early intervention program administered by the NH Bureau of Developmental Services’ Family Supported Early Supports and Services. Known as Birth to Three, the program helps infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk for, a developmental delay, or who have an established disability.

Prior to the merger, once families were deemed eligible for support, they could choose whether to go to Rise or MDS to receive services. Wisell said children with more complex medical needs were “almost automatically referred” to Rise due to the staff available to support those needs.

“There just weren’t enough children to keep both programs vibrant,” she said. “The number of children coming into the system meant we weren’t able to maintain two full-time programs in the region.”

Wisell said that, prior to the Aug. 10 merger, MDS was supporting 32 families through its early intervention program. The majority of them decided to go to Rise for the remainder of their services, she said, and 12 discontinued because their child aged out, the families had moved or the families said the support being offered was no longer needed.

MDS will continue to provide intake services for families joining the program, according to Wisell.

She noted that MDS will continue to offer its full array of services through its Children’s Service Coordination, which is meant for families who have a child aged 3 to 21 with a developmental disability or chronic health condition. She said Rise’s early intervention services can “be more robust than ever” and provide more support to families in the future because of the merger.

“We couldn’t be happier to be growing our collaboration with Rise,” Wisell said. “I think it’s going to work out very well for the families in the region.”

Pat Payne, Rise’s community relations manager, said it worked with more than 300 families through its early intervention program during the fiscal year that ended July 1. She noted Rise expects an increase in families served in the coming year.

“We’re expecting the number of families to go up to about 400,” Payne said.

Rise currently has more than 30 early intervention specialists working with infants and toddlers through in-home visits and therapeutic play groups, according to Payne. She noted the nonprofit is looking to hire more staff, including speech language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, educators and child/family counselors.

Families don’t have to have a referral from a medical professional to have an evaluation at no cost for the program, which serves children from birth to age 3.

“Any family, parent or caregiver, if they have concerns with the development for their child who is under the age of 3, they should call,” Payne said. “Our early intervention specialists travel all over. Visits are done in the home or location of the family’s choice.”

Payne said people are never billed for services through Rise; rather, the nonprofit will bill insurance whenever possible. She added that Rise fundraises throughout the year to fill gaps between family needs and services provided.

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