Child Care Resource and Referral Service information is FREE to all families in Okaloosa and Walton counties. There are no charges or fees associated with a provider listing in the Resource & Referral Database or for referrals to your program. If you are asked to provide a payment for a referral or listing in the Resource & Referral Database, please call the Agency for Workforce Innovation-Office of Early Learning Resource & Referral Network at 1'866'357'3239.
The Early Learning Coalition of Okaloosa and Walton Counties and Child Care Services provides an Inclusion Specialist to assist you. This Specialist provides technical assistance, training, and resources to child care providers serving children with disabilities and /or special needs in Okaloosa and Walton counties .Please call Greta at 833'9330, ext.222 or email ghock@owccs.org. Greta Hock provides training to child care providers on the following topics:
Additional help for children with suspected disabilities or special needs can be obtained by contacting:
The Florida Directory of Early Childhood Services (Central Directory) provides services to families and providers seeking advocacy, education, training, resource and referral, and information on disability services available in their communities.
Early Steps (formerly DEI) serving children 1'3 years old
www.cms-kids.com or 1'800'654'4440
Statewide Inclusion toll'free line 866'357'3239
Local Inclusion Warm Line 850'833'9330 ext. 222
Other Helpful Information and Resources for your Program
If you have questions about state mandated training, educational exemptions, and staff training requirements contact the Florida Department of Children and Families Child Care Training Information Center (CCTIC) at 1-888-352-2842 or www.myflorida.com/childcare/training
for general information on child development, challenging behavior, and Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ's), contact our Developmental Screening Specialists, Kelly Todd 833'9228, ktodd@owccs.org or Heather Ruppel at 833'9228, hruppel@owccs.org
HEALTH To learn more about childhood health/illness concerns, contact our Community Health Nurse, Kathy Worthen at 833'9330 ext. 225 or kworthen@owccs.org
INCLUSION SERVICES: for technical assistance to programs serving children with special needs, contact Greta Hock @ 833'9330 ext. 222 or ghock@owccs.org
INFANT/TODDLER ASSISTANCE for helpful resources and infant/toddler program assessment contactMonique O'Brien at 833'9330 ext. 205 or mobrien@owccs.org Also, be sure to visit http://http://www.zerotothree.org for interesting articles focusing on infants and toddlers.
FAMILY CHILD CARE To obtain information about opening a family child care program, or receive assistance with your existing family child care home program, please contact our Early Childhood Specialist, Debra Self at 833'9330 ext. 234 or dself@owccs.org
MONITORING To learn more about program improvement and monitoring call Jennifer Hendrickson at 833'9330 ext. 221 or jhendrickson@owccs.org
SCHOOL AGE CARE For information and resources pertaining to school age programs call Mary Ann Mochan at 833'9330 ext. 304 or mmochan@owccs.org
VPK To learn more about VPK programs call Denise Lee at 833'9330 ext. 223 or dlee@owccs.org
A lending library is available for you to check out items, to enhance your child care program. Contact Keicha Rouse at our Education Center at 833'9336, or email her at krouse@owccs.org
CHILD CARE PROGRAM ASSISTANCE For general program support and information concerning program assessments, accreditation, and quality assistance, contact Monique O'Brien at 833'9330 ext. 205 or mobrien@owccs.org
RESOURCE VAN We also offer program resources and support through our mobile resource van. Contact Beth Hoffman at 833'9330 ext. 230 or ehoffman@owccs.org
LITERACY If you have questions regarding literacy or literacy assessments, please contact Monique O'Brien at 833'9330 ext. 205 or mobrien@owccs.org
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