Early Childhood Services' ELEVATE

The Power of Early Intervention: Why Early Matters with Jill Ginsburg

• Inette B. and Jennifer F. • Season 1 • Episode 2

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In this episode, hosts Inette Bolden and Jennifer Ferreira welcome Jill Ginsburg, Program Manager for Montgomery County’s Infants and Toddlers Program (MCITP). With over 20 years of experience in early intervention, Jill shares what inspired her journey in the field and highlights the critical impact of early intervention services on children from birth to age three.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of what early intervention means, how it supports both children and families, and how services are tailored to meet the needs of Montgomery County’s diverse population. Jill also provides practical guidance for families who may be seeking support and offers a powerful message about the lifelong benefits of early intervention.

Inette:

Unlock the magic of early childhood with Elevate. This podcast is brought to you by Early Childhood Services, a program within Montgomery County, Maryland's Department of Health and Human Services. We are dedicated to empowering parents and educators with the knowledge and tools to nurture the next generation. I'm Inette Bolden.

Jennifer:

And I'm Jennifer Ferreira, and we're your hosts of Elevate On our episode. We're excited to be joined by Jill Ginsberg, Program Manager within Montgomery County Early Intervention Services. Jill Ginsberg is a Program Manager for the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers Program, also known as MCITP, which is administered through Early Childhood Services. She is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience in early intervention. A native of Montgomery County, Jill received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Delaware and her Master's of Social Work from Boston University. Early in her career, Jill worked in family preservation and reunification. Before joining MCITP in 2007, Jill facilitated support groups for New Moms with Pace, a grassroots community organization. As an early intervention specialist in MCITP, Jill supported parents of children birthed to the age of three with developmental delays. She later managed the contract between DHHS and the Lorry Center for Children's Social and Emotional Wellness, which embeds nurses and mental health professionals in the MCITP. Jill returned to clinical practice providing therapy to women struggling with prenatal and postpartum mental health issues prior to joining DHHS in 2024.

Inette:

So welcome, Jill. We're so excited to have you on the show today.

Jill:

Thank you so much for having me on the podcast.

Inette:

Absolutely. So, I'm sure our listeners are eager to learn more about you and all the great work that you're leading here in early intervention. But before we dive into that, how about you share with us a bit about what sparked your interest in early childhood and early intervention services?

Jill:

Well, thank you so much again. I'm very excited to be here to talk about early childhood services with Montgomery County and, like a lot of people in the field, my interest in early intervention started when my own daughter was diagnosed with autism when she was two years old, and I started to receive services through the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers program. I was very impressed with the services we received, so when I was ready to return to work, I reached out to the social worker who had been our had been our service coordinator and asked how do I sign up? And ever since then I've been passionate about early childhood and early intervention.

Inette:

All right, thank you. So what has been the most rewarding aspect of your work so far? I'm sure, as a parent and in the field, there's been probably many highlights of sharing your passion, but what's been the most rewarding?

Jill:

I think the most rewarding thing about working with the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers Program is the parent coaching model. So we work with parents and caregivers to teach them the strategies they need to support their child's development. And because children learn and their brain changes so rapidly when they're young, it's very rewarding when you see that kind of change occur from week to week. So I'd say that's probably the most rewarding thing is seeing the kids develop so quickly and seeing the parents implement the strategies. Thank, you.

Jennifer:

So let's dive into your current work with Montgomery County. Early intervention is a term we hear a lot, but what does it really mean? Can you break it down for us and explain why it's so critical for children and families in Montgomery County?

Jill:

So early intervention is federally mandated. What that means is that every county in the United States must have early intervention services. It's mandated through IDEA or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and in Montgomery County all families are entitled to a free evaluation through MCITP. When we evaluate children, we look at five different areas of development their speech and language development, their fine motor development, their gross motor development, cognitive development and their social emotional development. And in order to be found eligible for services they need to have either a 25% delay in any of those areas of development. It doesn't matter what the concern is if they have a delay in any of those areas of development. It doesn't matter what the concern is If they have a delay in any of the areas. The child is found eligible for services. And then there are two other ways that children are found eligible for services in infants and toddlers. One is that they have a high probability of having a developmental delay, and that's typically due to something such as prematurity of birth or a diagnosis of a genetic disorder such as Down syndrome. And then the third way is through atypical development, and that allows our providers to use a little bit more clinical judgment when they have a concern about a child, but perhaps they're not actually falling into a 25% delay or they don't have a high probability based on a developmental diagnosis.

Jill:

So once a child is found eligible for services through infants and toddlers, the team that works with the family develops an IFSP, which is called an Individual Family Service Plan, and that plan looks at the child's strengths and needs, the family's concerns and resources and it develops the outcome.

Jill:

So the IFSP is like a contract between the Infants and Toddlers program and the family to provide the services that that child needs, similar to an IEP when your child is school age. All of our services are free, they're voluntary and they take place in the natural environment. So that's typically either the family's home, or it could be a childcare center, or it could be the home of a family member, wherever the child spends the majority of their time. The family just needs to be a resident of Montgomery County in order for us to provide services to that child. The reason that early intervention is so important is because children's brains are very malleable when they are young and we're able to significantly improve developmental outcomes by providing services early in life, and those outcomes help to improve their school readiness, their academic performance and their overall success in life.

Jennifer:

Well, thank you so much, Jill. That's such a great and unique service for the residents in Montgomery County and I hope the families that need it can utilize this service Now. Can you please share a real-life example of how early intervention has made a difference for a child and their family?

Jill:

So one of the things about early intervention is that we provide services for children from birth to three years old, so a lot of times we don't get to see what happens after they leave our program. But I do frequently run into parents of children that I've served and they're always eager to show me pictures and tell me about how well their children are doing. But I can share my own story, and that's a story of my daughter. When she was two years old, we started to notice that she was not interacting with other children her age and although she had met her developmental milestones, such as crawling when she was seven months and walking when she was 12 months and having over 100 words when she was 24 months, she was not using her language like other typical toddlers and she wasn't responding to her name when she was called. So my family started to express concern, wondering whether there might be something wrong with her hearing.

Jill:

We talked to the pediatrician. The pediatrician had a kind of a wait and see attitude because she had met so many of her milestones. But then, when she was to a little over two, she started attending preschool and the preschool teacher suggested that I have her evaluated, and that's when I reached out to the Infants and Toddlers Program and they sent out a speech therapist, an occupational therapist and a special educator and they evaluated her in all of the areas of development and found her eligible for services. So we started weekly services with a special educator coming to the home and then we also attended a sensory processing group at the site. They also referred us for psychological evaluation and that's when my daughter actually received the diagnosis of autism and when they provided, you know, recommendations for treatment.

Jill:

So she continued to receive services until she turned three and transitioned into school-based services with Montgomery County Public Schools. She was in MCPS all the way through high school. She graduated from Rockville High School with a certificate of completion from the Learning for Independence program, which is a functional life skills program, and she's turning 25 next month and she lives in an apartment with two roommates, she works part-time at a hair salon and she has a rich and fulfilling social life. So I really credit early intervention for the progress that my daughter's made and how well she's doing now. That my daughter's made and how well she's doing now, and I just can't say enough about the services we received.

Jennifer:

I'm happy for her and thank you for sharing your personal story, and that's such an amazing story to see. Like you said, you got to see the difference and the impact that it made in her life and that's very valuable for other family that may need the service and could benefit from it and have a big impact in their life and their children's life too. So thank you for sharing that, Jill.

Inette:

Jill, earlier you mentioned a parent coaching model. Since we have listeners who are also early childhood educators, can you tell us about the parent coaching model and how that might differ from an early childhood educator coaching model?

Jill:

So our family coaching model revolves around teaching parents directly the skills that they need to improve their child's development. So what happens when a child receives services through infants and toddlers is the family's assigned a service coordinator, and that service coordinator is the liaison between the infants and toddlers program and the family. Depending on what the area of development is, that service coordinator will typically be the professional who is trained in that area, be the professional who is trained in that area. So if it's gross motor development, it might be a physical therapist, or if it's a speech and language issue, it could be a speech therapist. And then that person works with the family to teach them the skills and the tools that they need to improve their child's development.

Inette:

Okay, so that gives us a good idea of what that is and I'm sure that helps early childhood educators who may want to give families advice or support in seeking out those services so they know those differences. So thank you for sharing that. Thank you, jill.

Jennifer:

And, yeah, that somewhat ties into my next question I was going to have is how early intervention, how does it support not just a child but also their family and caregivers?

Jill:

Right, absolutely so. The family coaching model is the primary way. So we work with the families to support the families. We provide service coordination so we provide resources to them. A big part of what we do is called a routines-based interview, when we're getting to know the family and during the routines-based interview, or RBI, we get to know the family's concerns, their resources, their priorities, and then the IFSP is really what the family's goals and outcomes are for the child. They are family driven, so we work very closely with the family and one of the services we offer is actually family counseling and training, which is specifically providing support to the family around whatever may be going on in their lives at that time. In addition to that, we also have a family support network, and a family support network brings families together, provides resources and education around early childhood development. They have a newsletter and they have monthly events where they bring in speakers and just pull parents together to provide them with support and just pull parents together to provide them with support.

Jennifer:

That's amazing Great services, and I'm hoping that the families in Montgomery County right now are listening in and are now aware of these amazing services for the child, for their child, for themselves as family, and also for caregivers too. So it's a holistic approach and can benefit many in our community.

Jill:

Yeah, it is. It is holistic and I really like that, that word and we do compare it to kind of a medical model of treatment. For instance, if a family were to seek out services through their insurance company, which we encourage them to do if they would like, they're going to get more a medical model where the therapist is directly working with the child, and that's very different from what we do, which is, you know, coaching the family so that they are the ones 24 hours a day, you know, seven days a week, interacting with their child and learning the strategies.

Inette:

That's amazing. Yes, this is such a great service for our community and the families in our community and we serve such a diverse population here in Montgomery County. So how do early intervention services adapt to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of our diverse families here?

Jill:

I think that's a really good question, annette. So, as you know, montgomery County is one of the most diverse counties in the country and we strive very hard to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of our community. To meet the cultural, linguistic needs of our community, so we prioritize hiring bilingual providers and we have interpreters in over a hundred languages. In addition, we will translate all of our documents that need translating into the six primary languages that are spoken here in Montgomery County. We also use culturally competent assessment tools that have been approved by the Maryland State Department of Education or MSDE. But, more importantly, we know in infants and toddlers that our families are the experts in their culture. So we ask a lot of questions and that starts with the assessment process and the RBI or routines based interview, and it really helps us understand what's important to the family and that's what's most important to us.

Inette:

All right, thank you. It really does sound like Montgomery County is set up to meet the very diverse needs of all of our population and meeting those early intervention needs. So how does a family typically find out about our early intervention services and what should they do if they think their child might need support?

Jill:

Most families find out about infants and toddlers either through their pediatrician or another medical professional or through a child care provider, but a lot of times it's also word of mouth, other people in the community, preschool teachers, who are familiar with infants and toddlers. We receive in Montgomery County over 3,000 referrals a year and we serve over 2,000 children every year. So if someone wanted to make a referral to the Infants and Toddlers program, so if someone wanted to make a referral to the Infants and Toddlers program, the best way is through our secure portal, which is at referralmditporg, or by calling our intake line at 240-777-3997. Line at 240-777-3997 and then one of our intake specialists will help with the referral process.

Inette:

All right, wonderful. So that's a good way for someone to get in contact, and so if an early childhood educator wanted to make a referral, could they do that, or do you suggest that they have the parent call instead?

Jill:

So I always think it's best for the parent to make the call or really to go online and complete the referral form online. However, we receive referrals from pediatricians, from NICUs, pediatricians from NICUs from child care centers. I would just suggest that before that referral is made, that the professionals speak with the family so that the family is aware of the referral being made. Sometimes families are very overwhelmed, so, for instance, if a child's in a NICU, you know, and they might not be in a position to be able to fill out that form or make that call. So it can be really helpful if the NICU nurse or doctor makes that referral. But it's very helpful if the family's aware of the referral so that when we do contact them they know who we are and why we're calling.

Inette:

All right, that's great information to share. Thank you. So, as we wrap up here, what's one message you'd like to leave with our audience about the power of early intervention?

Jill:

The one message I'd like to leave is don't wait. The connections in the brain are most adaptable in the first three years of life, and those connections are the foundation for learning. As we get older, the connections become harder to change, so if you or a family member have any concerns about your child's development, please reach out. We are here to support you and your family.

Inette:

All right thank you.

Jennifer:

Thank you once again, jill, for sharing such a wealth of information with us today. It has been a true pleasure having you on our podcast and I'm very excited for the families in Montgomery County to hear about the MCITP services.

Jill:

Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed myself.

Jennifer:

Thank you again and please be sure to tune in next time as we explore more supports and community resources available to those who nurture young children.

Inette:

Stay informed, inspired and connected to the vibrant community of early childhood enthusiasts. Together, let's build a strong foundation for the future, one child at a time. Stay connected and join the conversation by following us on social media at DHHSCCSS. See you next time.

Announcer:

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