Victor Murdock Fund Supports Early Intervention Services Through Rainbows

Wichita, KS – Outreach efforts to increase awareness of early intervention services and use by medical professionals are now in place thanks to a matching grant from Victor Murdock Fund. Through the Lunch and Learn outreach project, Rainbows will provide support for pediatricians to help them discuss developmental delays with parents of infants and toddlers, and how and when to refer a child to Rainbows for screening, comprehensive evaluation or early intervention services.

Rainbows United, Inc. is the lead agency for tiny-k early intervention services in Sedgwick and Butler Counties. These services are available at no cost to families for any child birth to age three who is suspected of having a developmental delay. Rainbows can provide a comprehensive evaluation on the basis of a physician’s or family member’s concern or a formal screening. A diagnosis is not required for a referral.

Dr. Jose Sanchez, a pediatric physician at Via Christi and member of Rainbows’ Board of Directors will help direct the effort to get more of his peers involved in referring children to early intervention services. “I see significant progress in young children who get connected to early intervention services right away,” said Dr. Sanchez.

“The entire community stands to gain from this project,” said Alexia Foster, Assistant Site Coordinator, Infant/Toddler Services, and Lunch and Learn project manager. “Outreach efforts targeting the medical community will increase the number of referrals to the tiny-k network. Serving young children with any type of delay at the earliest possible moment benefits the child, the family and the taxpayer.”

To obtain information on referring a child to Rainbows, or to schedule a Lunch and Learn event, please call Alexia Foster at (316) 945-7117, extension 126. Victor Murdock Fund is administered by the Wichita Community Foundation.

Rainbows United will serve more than 3,500 children birth – 21 with special needs or at risk throughout Segwick and Butler counties this year. For 39 years, Rainbows has been dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with special needs and their families by bringing together community resources and providing customized services.