Early Start Services at Harbor Regional Center

Who Is Eligible?

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View Early Start Services at Harbor Regional Center 

Services & Supports for Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Delays or at Risk of Having a Developmental Disability and Their Families

Babies develop in different ways, and every baby is unique. If you or your doctor believe that your baby’s development is delayed, help is available at Harbor Regional Center in our Early Start Program. The Early Start Program, provides services and supports for infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months, and their families. The Early Start Program is coordinated in California by regional centers and public school districts.

Parents, caregivers, and families can find a comprehensive overview of the Early Start Program in the Early Start Information Packet: English   Spanish   Korean   Tagalog

Additionally, visit the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Website on Early Start for more information. You can also find the Early Start Information Packet on DDS’ Webpage.

Who Is Eligible?

Children with a developmental delay of 25% in one or more of the following areas of development:

  • Social – emotions, interacting with others
  • Adaptive – daily activities such as eating and dressing
  • Physical – large and small movements
  • Communication – pre-speech and language
  • Cognitive – thinking and problem solving

Children with multiple medical factors that place them at risk for a developmental delay such as:

  • Prematurity of <32 weeks and/or low birth weight
  • Prenatal substance exposure

An infant or toddler born to a parent with a developmental disability

Children born with a condition with a known probability of causing a disability or delay such as Down syndrome or cerebral palsy.

Goals of Early Start Services for Infants and Toddlers

  • To provide early intervention
  • To promote your infant’s growth and development
  • To provide emotional support to your family
  • To provide linkage with community resources

Services include

  • Diagnosis and evaluation
  • Developmental assessment and monitoring
  • Referral to community resources, including health services
  • Infant stimulation (specialized instruction) in your home or community.
  • Physical, occupational, and/or speech/language therapy
  • Behavior  intervention services
  • Parent-to-parent support and education, and
  • Parent/child activities to support and enhance early childhood development

Our Early Start Team respects family values. We are culturally sensitive and we speak your language. We believe parents know their child best, and are the most important members of the Early Start Team. Parents, Service Coordinators, service providers and other professionals work together with you to assist your child in reaching their developmental potential.

We will be happy to provide information and answer questions about the Regional Center and our services.

To contact us to find out if your child is eligible for our services, you may:

  • Call us at (310) 543-7927, or 
  • Email us at intakeunder3@harborrc.org, or 
  • Complete an application online, or 
  • Contact your pediatrician, health care worker, therapist, early childhood educator, or other service provider, who will make the referral.