FDLRS Heartland Road Through Child Find
Child Find
FDLRS Heartland Child Find Services, in coordination with the school districts, locate children who are potentially eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and links them with needed services.
Child Find services help to promote general public awareness of programs and services available for young children who have or are at risk of developing disabilities. Service coordination for diagnostic screening, placement, training, and support is also provided.
Child Find services offer FREE Developmental Screenings for 3, 4, and 5 year-olds not enrolled in public school by appointment only. Monthly screenings are held in Arcadia, Avon Park, Clewiston, LaBelle, Lake Placid, Moore Haven, and Sebring. Vision, hearing, motor skills, cognition, speech, language, and behavior skills are screened. Please call 863-531-0402 ext. 10712 for more information or an appointment, or fax a referral to 863-531-0425. English and Spanish speaking staff are available to take the referrals and will be able to schedule appointments when the referral is made.
FDLRS Heartland Child Find Services support the following activities:
- Utilize the Children's Registry and Information System (CHRIS) to document screenings, referrals for evaluations, evaluation outcomes, placement decisions, and transition from the Early Steps program to prekindergarten programs for children with disabilities at age three.
- Support awareness of materials and provide/facilitate training opportunities related to child development and developmentally appropriate practices.
- Support transition at age three in collaboration with the Early Steps program, the Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS) for programs serving prekindergarten children with disabilities, and other early education and care programs in the community.
Child Find Referral Options
- Call our office at (863) 531-0402 extension 10712, or 1-800-316-7057 extension 10712 during office hours (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) and we will take your information and schedule an appointment if needed.
- If you would like to complete the form online, go to our online FDLRS Heartland Child Find Referral Form and submit your information there.
- If you want to fill out a hard copy of the form: from a computer, download the fillable PDF form "FDLRS Heartland Child Find Referral Form," type in your information, print it, and sign it. You can send the completed form by fax to (863) 531-0425 or mail it to: FDLRS Heartland, 1072 US 27 N, Lake Placid, FL 33852.
All screenings are free, but you MUST have an appointment. We schedule time slots for each child so that there is sufficient time to do each screening that may be needed.
FDLRS Heartland Child Find Referral Form
