Children's Developmental Center | Impact Report (2022-2023)

OUR VISION

A community of empowered families and successful children.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to empower families and improve children’s lives through comprehensive early intervention services, education, and therapeutic services.

THANK YOU to all contributers of our 2022-2023 IMPACT REPORT.

Here at the Children’s Developmental Center, we understand that the first three years of a child’s life are a crucial period that lays the foundation for their future health and development. During this time, the brain undergoes rapid growth, starting even before birth and continuing into early childhood. It is during these early years that the brain forms important connections and neural pathways, which will serve as the basis for all future learning and behavior.

In 1977, a family with a special-needs child in Kennewick, WA opened their home to provide early intervention services to other children and families in need of services. In those early years of the Children’s Developmental Center, no transportation was available and there was only enough funding to serve 43 children per month with motor, speech, and educational services. After several relocations throughout the Tri-Cities, including a bank building in Pasco, the community rallied behind the Children’s Developmental Center in 1999 to raise funds and in-kind donations to build its current facility.

Today, the Center serves (on average) 375 children per month, and that number is growing exponentially. More than 96% of services are provided in natural learning environments which could be the child’s home, daycare, a park, the library, etc.

Providing services in the natural environment allow service providers the opportunity to use toys and materials already and gives parents and siblings the opportunity to participate in learning.

Zahra Khan-Roach Executive Director

Joel Nunn-Sparks Marketing Associate Writer, Photographer, Design

Reka Robinson Project Manager, Proofreader

Chris Dingman Development Associate, Proofreader

Malory Torres Finance Director, Proofreader

Nevresa Beganovic Administrative Manager, Proofreader

Zahra Khan-Roach Executive Director

It is incredible to think about where we are now in relation to when we started in 1977. Through the decades we have moved buildings, gained contracts, evolved programs, but our mission has centered children and meeting their needs through early intervention. That is one thing that has not changed. The past few years have included a global pandemic, staffing and leadership changes, and the Children’s Developmental Center did not stop serving the children of Benton and Franklin counties. Our state agency, Department of Children Youth and Families, affirmed this when we received our compliance letter this August. 100% compliance achieved, again.

With success comes the responsibility to maintain the quality of intervention for which we have become known. The Center’s enrollment directly influences the necessity of expanding our facilities. In the current fiscal year, we will start concentrating on fundraising for this purpose.

The Tri-Cities community is known for its generosity, and it is my hope that the Children’s Developmental Center will remain the preferred local nonprofit that residents choose to support during this growth phase.

Thank you for your continued support,

Cori Jones Chair

ReNae Pilgrim Treasurer

Connie Ostrander Secretary

Claudia Lara Member

Ruben Mendoza Member

Raymond Swenson Member

Molly Connors Member

Shasta Meyers Member

THE CENTER

CHILDREN IN OUR BIRTH TO THREE PROGRAMS

These programs Include Playgroup, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and SPED classes.

67

CHILDREN IN OUR PRIVATE THERAPY PROGRAMS

These include our Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) programs, pediactric incontinance, and private speech therapy.

* All enrollment numbers are a monthly average from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

CENTER at a glance 375

WE ARE CURRENTLY CONTRACTED TO SERVE FAMILIES IN THE BELOW LISTED CITIES:

150 in Kennewick, WA

149 in Pasco, WA

8 in Finley, WA

1 in Patterson, WA

Our enrollment at the Children’s Developmental Center has grown exponentially since 2001. We’ve done our best to keep up with the growth, while ensuring the interventions our families receive are of the highest quality.

BIRTH TO THREE PROGRAMS

PRIVATE THERAPY PROGRAMS

At the age of two years, my son Liam was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The provider assigned the most severe delay rating to Liam in communication, and a moderate delay in adaptive and socialization skills. Our second boy, Aden, was six months old when Liam began receiving services at the Children’s Developmental Center. We got in touch with the Center’s Early Intervention Program upon the recommendation of Liam’s pediatrician, but otherwise, we had no prior insight or experience with such a program.

The preparation leading up to the therapists’ entry into our home was comprehensive, as we were one of the first families to receive in-home services as Covid restrictions began to lift. During the pandemic, we attempted to arrange playdates for Liam and Aden, but they didn’t go well. Liam was content to sit in a corner by himself, or he would experience a meltdown if other kids tried to socialize with him, sometimes even acting out violently. This pattern was consistent during visits to the grocery store or mall as well. Any new stimulus would trigger his reactions, and he remained unable to ask for assistance. For those unfamiliar with autistic meltdowns, they manifest differently for each individual learning to cope with them. In Liam’s case, his brain processed stimulus and sensory overload uniquely, resulting in behaviors such as arm-flailing, head-butting, hitting, biting, crying, and hyperventilation. These actions were reminiscent of toddler behaviors, but they went far beyond a typical tantrum. As a consequence, he often ended up hurting himself or unknowingly hurting others who were trying to help. Our family needed help, and Liam needed it too.

During our initial visit from our providers (Tessa Beloved, Speech Therapist, and Martha Garcia, Education Assistant), Liam initially hid under the table and experienced a meltdown. Rather than pushing Liam beyond his limits, Ms. Garcia took

a step back, allowing Liam the space to approach her. Despite Liam’s wariness of the new visitors, they gave him the time to warm up to them, granting him incremental amounts of floor space to feel comfortable.

After the first appointment, meltdowns still occurred, but the providers quickly learned how to adjust their approach to help Liam transition out of meltdown mode by focusing his attention on one thing at a time. Eventually, Liam began to speak and socialize more. Initially, Liam spoke only one word at a time, but it was evident that he was listening, engaging socially, and responding through actions. These were remarkable advancements achieved in a matter of months.

When Liam received the ASD diagnosis, doctors informed us that we might never hear him speak and cautioned us to be watchful for signs of delay in our second child, Aden, as ASD often runs in families. These were heart-wrenching words for parents to hear. Our greatest fear was not being able to protect our children. In my mind, questions arose: “What if Liam runs into the street? Will he understand if I tell him to stop? How will he navigate the harshness of the world? Can he secure a job in the future if he struggles to make eye contact?” While seemingly trivial to some, these concerns were agonizing for us as we observed our child experiencing anguish over something as basic as social interaction. Socializing and speaking, two functions we had taken for granted, gained profound importance after we learned more about them at the Children’s Developmental Center.

Our second son, Aden, also displayed developmental delays that qualified him for enrollment in the early intervention program. In addition to in-home services, Aden participated in a Play Group on a weekly basis and formed strong attachments with his providers. Being introduced to early intervention therapy gave Aden an advantage, leading him to be classified as

The following is a letter written by Candice Munguia, Mother to Liam and Aden Munguia who both received services here at the Children’s Developmental Center.

advanced in all communication categories for three to sixyear-old children. As Liam approaches his fifth birthday, he has transformed into quite the chatterbox and is thoroughly enjoying his developmental Pre-K classroom.

My husband, Sergio, describes having a child with special needs is like having two children in one. They surprise you in extra ways and present additional challenges. In-home therapy establishes a vulnerable and intimate setting for families, and the knowledge we acquired through this experience was life changing. Often, daycare providers are not equipped to handle a child with special needs. Sergio quit his job as a machinist to be a stay-at-home dad. The training provided by CDC helped enable Sergio to provide in-home therapy to our boys. Parent advocacy, another concept promoted by the Children’s Development Center, encouraged Sergio and I to seek out the education we need to provide our children with support at home between provider appointments. The education provided by the Children’s Developmental Center reshaped our perspective on parenting a child with special needs. The time invested in these therapy programs proved invaluable, especially since they equipped both of our children with coping skills to navigate the world uniquely as they perceive and process it.

“... having a child with special needs is like having two children in one. They surprise you in extra ways and present additional challenges.”

THANK YOU!

DONATIONS DURING THE 2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR

to our donors

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our generous donors who have made a significant impact on the Children’s Developmental Center. Your contributions have played a pivotal role in bringing our vision to life—a community of empowered families and thriving children. Thanks to your unwavering support, we’ve been able to fund critical projects such as the installation of playground equipment, vital building renovations, the construction of a much-needed sound barrier, and the organization of meaningful family events. Whether you attended our fundraising events, contributed to our end-of-year appeal, made a one-time donation, or dedicated your valuable time to our cause, we want you to know that your kindness has made a tangible difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. Your generosity is the driving force behind our continued success, and for that, we offer our sincerest thanks.

In 2022, our organization was honored to receive a grant from the Three Rivers Community Foundation (3RCF) to support our Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program. This grant, along with our ongoing funding from the Gartner Fund since 2021, has significantly bolstered our ability to make a positive impact in our community. The 3RCF stands as a pillar of local support, channeling grants to various nonprofits, and we are proud to have established a strong financial foundation through these partnerships. As a nonprofit, we have taken steps towards financial security by investing in the 3RCF nonprofit endowment, alongside fellow local nonprofits. Our commitment of $315,000 towards this endowment demonstrates our forward-thinking approach, with the expectation of reaping returns on this investment as time progresses. With a board comprising adept finance advisors and accountants, 3RCF ensures sound financial stewardship over the funds they manage, including ours. This collaborative endeavor shows our dedication to making positive change and to securing the resources that empower us to do so effectively.

Three Rivers Community Foundation (3RFC) Board and Executive Director Zahra Khan-Roach on a facility tour in June 2023.

The past year has been full of many wins for our organization. We had two successful fundraising events (Cuisine De Vin 2022 and Wine Fete 2023), and held our annual Trunk-or-Treat family event. Our staff and providers continue to deliver quality care to our families both in the home and in our current building. We want to thank our staff, volunteers, donors and the community at large for a great year!