What is Birth to Three?

WV Birth to Three is a system that provides services to infants or toddlers under the age of three who have a delay in one or more areas of their cognitive, physical, social/emotional, adaptive, or communication development, or may be at risk of possibly having delays in the future due to a condition which is typically associated with a developmental delay such as Down syndrome; or a combination of biological and other risk factors which may include family and/or environmental stressors. The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley serves as the Regional Administrative Unit for an eight-county region.
 

To be eligible for West Virginia Birth to Three services, an infant or toddler under the age of three can either have a delay in one or more areas of their development, or be at risk of possibly having delays in the future.

A child may have delays in one or more of the following areas:
• Physical - moving, seeing, hearing, health
• Cognitive - thinking and learning
• Social/emotional - feelings, coping, getting along with others
• Adaptive - doing things for him/herself
• Communication - understanding and communicating with others

A child may have risk factors such as:
• A condition which is typically associated with a developmental delay such as Down Syndrome; or
• A combination of biological and other risk factors. Some of these factors may include family stressors.

A team of professionals works with the family based on each family's concerns and priorities for their child. Teams include people who can provide the family knowledge about possible areas of concern with the child's development. If a child is found to be eligible for WV Birth to Three, the family chooses whether they want to participate and receive services. (The Department of Health and Human Resources, through the Bureau for Public Health and the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health, the lead agency for Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), assures that family centered, community based services are available to all eligible children and families.)

Important Beliefs of the WV Birth to Three System
• Families are the "experts" about their child and family needs. WV Birth to Three is a support for families, assisting them to learn more about their child's growth and development.
• WV Birth to Three provides information so families can make decisions about what they need to support their child's development.
• Services support the child's participation in learning opportunities within their home and community.
• WV Birth to Three services identified on the IFSP are provided at no cost to the family.

How to Make A Referral
For more information or to make a referral:
call 304-485-2000 or 1-866-321-4728