From First Steps to Big Dreams: Home- and Community-Based Supports for Children and Young Adults
Children with intellectual and developmental delays learn best with services that are tailored to their individual needs and strengths. Brookville Center for Children’s Services (BCCS) programs are designed to provide high quality services and educational experiences to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and delays. Its Home- & Community-Based (HCBS) Program extends this opportunity to students and parents outside of the classroom to teach foundational skills necessary for future learning.
HCBS supports children from birth to 22 years old with Early Intervention (EI), Preschool (CPSE), and school age (CSE) offerings with the opportunity for physical, occupational, speech and language therapies, Special Instruction, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Behavior Intervention Services (BIS), and Parent Training.
“We are one of the biggest providers of this service,” said Steven Gidseg, program supervisor. “We support students across Long Island. Families are looking for these services and we have been gaining momentum to meet the demand.”
Currently, BCCS (HCBS) supports 70 families in the program and has over 100 providers, including certified teachers and therapists who deliver services across Long Island. As one of the few organizations in the state able to support these services, BCCS is committed to helping children meet their individual goals. Using a holistic approach, they include the whole family in the process of supporting children to learn and grow.
“My son has made so much progress through his occupational therapy, ” said Lauren Katz of Great Neck. “His therapist Rachel is so creative and supportive of him and the whole family — giving us parents encouragement and allowing my daughter to be involved in the at-home sessions. We learned how to give my son the sensory input he was craving and how to turn his fine motor skill building into games.”
The home- and community-based aspect, providing services in a home, day care, nursery school and community settings, is what sets the program apart and makes it an inclusive option for both children and parents. All providers are certified/licensed by New York State in their area of expertise and have extensive experience working in the field of special education.
Qualification for HCBS depends on the child’s age and needs and always requires a referral from a state or local agency. Typically, the referral process depends on the child’s age: families of children under three connect with their county’s Department of Health Early Intervention Program to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP); families of children aged three to five work with their local school district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP); and families of school-age students are referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) to develop an IEP. By delivering services directly in homes and community-based settings, the program helps children and young adults apply and strengthen the skills they are learning in real-world environments.
To learn more about BCCS’ Home- & Community-Based Program, visit www.brookvillecenter.org/hc.
Home and Community Based Referral by Age:
Birth to Age 3 (Early Intervention Program):
- Referral goes to the County Department of Health (DOH), which manages the Early Intervention Program (EIP).
- The County assigns a service coordinator to work with the family.
- Services (speech therapy, OT, PT, special instruction, etc.) are authorized through the County.
Ages 3–5 (Committee on Preschool Special Education – CPSE):
- Referral goes to the child’s local school district — specifically the CPSE within that district.
- The CPSE evaluates and creates an Individualized Education Program (IEP) if eligible.
- Services start being tied more toward educational goals.
Ages 5–22 (Committee on Special Education – CSE):
- Referral stays within the local school district, now through the CSE.
- Services are fully education-based through the public school system (or private placements funded by the district if necessary).