Parent Opportunity!

As part of our partnership with The Children’s Agenda and their Kids Can’t Wait campaign for early intervention reform, we have an important opportunity for parents and caregivers to make their voices heard.

We’re seeking families willing to share their early intervention experiences—whether positive or challenging—to help drive statewide change.

Across New York State, children are waiting too long for services that simply can’t wait. In fact, New York ranks 50th in the nation for timely delivery of Early Intervention services. The shortage of qualified providers is at the heart of this crisis. Despite strong evidence that early intervention dramatically improves outcomes and reduces long-term costs, provider reimbursement rates have not kept pace with inflation for decades. This has made it difficult for programs to hire and retain professionals, especially in rural areas like ours. 

Here in the North Country, the challenge is even more urgent: Franklin and Hamilton counties currently have no in-person service providers for these critical developmental supports, and infants and toddlers are missing out.

That’s why we need families with lived experience to come forward. Your stories, whether of perseverance, barriers, successes, and impact, bring essential context to the data from our Early Intervention Cost Study. When real experiences are paired with strong evidence, we can create the momentum for meaningful policy change.
If you’re willing to share your family’s story, we would like to learn more, please complete this form or email Kate (kate@adkcommunityfoundation.org). Together, we can help ensure that every child, in every area of New York, gets the support they deserve!