Jessica, deputy administrator for Northampton County’s Early Intervention program, introduced the county’s early intervention services to the Human Services Committee and described program scope, staffing and service flows.

She said the county program is voluntary and an entitlement: families with children birth to 3 with developmental concerns may request an evaluation. Jessica said the county receives federal and state funding and estimated county allocations in round numbers during the presentation: “we get about, I don't know, $4,000,000 and then we get about, I don't know, 3,000,000 or something from the from MA,” and noted those figures as approximate.

She said the program currently has about 900 children actively served, had recorded approximately 832 referrals so far this fiscal year and could reach about 1,100 referrals if current trends continue. Jessica described the county team structure—two supervisors, 10 service coordinators, a fiscal person—and contracts with 18 provider organizations and about 284 contracted therapists who deliver therapies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech‑language pathology and behavior supports.

Jessica said the program provides home‑based, developmental services (not medical care) and helps families access community resources and later transitions to early childhood or school‑age supports. She highlighted limitations in diagnostic capacity in the region—“we have 1 developmental pediatrician and the waiting list is 2 years long”—and said the county partners with St. Luke’s Anderson campus and Easterseals to support diagnoses and continuity of care.

Asked about service needs, Jessica said Spanish‑language therapy remains a top gap: she currently contracts two Spanish speech‑language pathologists, one Spanish occupational therapist and one Spanish physical therapist, and employs four Spanish service coordinators. She noted day‑care staffing and capacity are also limiting factors for service delivery and said the county is working with local integrated community councils and day‑care networks to improve coordination and place providers.

Why this matters: early intervention services are entitlement services for children under age three with developmental delays; local capacity, language access and provider availability affect timely access to services that can alter developmental trajectories.