‘Thank you for serving our families and children’

For two days this week, Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho joined a team of Early Intervention Program personnel led by its director, Robin L. Palacios, for an outreach to Rota, and successfully signed up over 20 families to avail free early detection services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays at no cost.

The “Child Find and Public Awareness” activities of PSS Early Intervention Program were held on April 22 and 23 on Rota. Twenty-four families signed up, the biggest number yet for Rota in recent years.

The activities include a screening outreach for parents, infants, and toddlers at the Rota Aging Center, which was aimed at early detection of developmental disabilities. A separate team was also conducting home visitations in Sinapalo, the largest of the two residential villages on Rota.

Palacios was joined by her team of six Early Intervention special instruction teachers, a physical therapist, an advocate, and other personnel. They are Jonisa Sanchez, Peter Mendiola, Aljay Figueroa, Nace Soalablai, and Esther Tilipao.

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. has sent in a three-person team to join in the outreach activities. They include Dolores Itibus, Ezeth Smith, and Bessie Hernandez.

The PSS Early Intervention Program has a working partnership agreement with CHCC, particularly in the referral program and needs for children with developmental disabilities from birth to three years old.

Rota Health Center partnership

Camacho, Palacios, and special instruction teacher Peter Mendiola met with Rota resident director Vanessa Quitugua as part of the two-day “Child Find and Public Awareness” outreach.

Quitugua, a former educator, acknowledged the success of the EI Program in Rota. She particularly credited the partnership between CHCC/Rota Health Center and PSS Early Intervention Program that led to encouraging more parents and family to sign up for the free programs and services offered by the school district.

The PSS EI Program and CHCC partnership has been in place for over two decades now.

“The change, growth, and movement, especially our families here, to avail of the Early Intervention Program services in Rota is because we see there is that need to serve our community together as partners, and, as partners, we provide whatever critical services our community needs, including for our infant and toddlers (through the Early Intervention Program),” Quitugua said.

Palacios agreed, “What we have is really working. We are to serve and will continue to serve and work with your community.”

“The entire Early Intervention team has a full schedule to serve our Rota families. To further increase our service, we are going to hold outreach twice-a year,” Palacios added.

Camacho said the PSS EI Program cannot do it alone. It needs partners to succeed. “To our medical professionals, our parents here in Rota trust you because of your expertise in your field. When they come to you (for referral of cases to us through our Early Intervention Program) it is because they see your expertise.”

“Thank you for your partnership and thank you for helping us in our service to our children and students. We hope to be able to encourage more parents to sign up for the program.”

Camacho also expressed his appreciation on behalf of the EI Program, to the Rota Office on Aging, through administrative officer Valerie Apatang, for supporting the program’s outreach on Rota.

Rota Mayor’s Office

The PSS team of Camacho and Palacios and her team met with the Rota Mayor’s Office.

“We are truly happy that you all came down to make sure our children and families are served,” said acting mayor Jim Atalig, who is the chairperson of the Rota Municipal Council.

“Thank you for taking care of the children of our small community,” he added.

Mayor Aubrey Hocog’s chief of staff, Dean Reynold Manglona, praised the PSS leadership for ensuring that no child is left behind in Rota.

“It is really encouraging to know that the commissioner of education is leading these outreach activities for our children and students. It only goes to show someone who is passionate about public education,” Manglona said.

In 1986, the Individuals with Disabilities Education act was amended to include Early Intervention Services for Infants and Toddlers with disabilities and their families, otherwise known as Part C of IDEA. Eligible infants and toddlers include children, birth to three years old, who are born with an established condition that has a high probability of resulting in a disability or those children who have a developmental delay. Early Intervention Services are provided for the child and family at no cost and are designed to meet the child and family’s unique needs. (PR)