KNOWLEDGE IN DEVELOPMENTAL STEPS

Helping children and their families build healthy lives

Early experiences impact brain and body development for a lifetime. Our mission is to help children build healthy brains and bodies through healthy relationships early in their life. The KIDS Clinic is a child-centered branch of Healthy Connections and has been established to empower healthy families.

WHAT:

KIDS Clinic is branch of Healthy Connections that brings together medical and behavioral specialists from different organizations to care for children and their families, including those affected by substance use disorder. Our mission is to help children build healthy brains and bodies through healthy relationships early in their lives.
Caregivers partner with professionals as a team and are dedicated to understanding the unique needs of each child and building the best possible plan to address those needs. Children and families who participate in the KIDS Clinic will be provided on-going screenings and supports from multiple disciplines including but not limited to: (Follow up appoints every 6-months)

This clinic serves the developmental needs of children birth to age 18, and includes the following:

  • General pediatric care
  • Neurodevelopmental
  • Speech, language, hearing development, and literacy
  • Feeding and Swallowing skills
  • Physical therapy
  • Psychological and psychosocial

For our pre-school children (Three to Five): The team will administer the following:

  • Battelle Screener. This will be done every 6 months
  • Parenting Stress index
  • PHQ 2 -Patient Health Questions
  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals – Preschool (CELF-P)
  • Child Behavior checklist 3-5

For our babies and toddlers (birth to three): The team will administer the following protocols unless other assessments meet the needs of the child:

  • Battelle Screener
  • Parenting Stress index
  • PHQ 2 -Patient Health Questions
  • Birth to Three Checklist of Learning and Language Behavior

For our school age children (6 and above): The team will administer the following:

  • Wechsler Intelligent Scale for Children
  • Parenting Stress index
  • PHQ 2 -Patient Health Questions (CELF-P)
  • CBCL if new or if showing behavioral problems
  • Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) as needed

WHERE:

Scheduling of the KIDS clinic is managed through the Marshall University in the Speech and Hearing Center (MUSHC). The Marshall University Speech and Hearing Center is located at One John Marshall Drive/Smith Hall 143 3rd Avenue Hal Greer Blvd- Huntington, WV 25755. While this is its home base, Healthy Connections is committed to helping all children and their families therefore the Clinic will take place in various locations including the MUSHC, Project Hope, River Valley Center for Addiction, Research, Education, and Support (RVCARES).

WHEN:

The KIDS Clinic is scheduled one Friday each month from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. Appointments generally last approximately 2 hours.

MAKING REFERRALS:

Referrals are taken over the phone by calling Marshall University Speech and Hearing Center 304-696-3641. Referrals can be made by caregivers, teachers, and/or physicians. Please specifically request a KIDS Clinic appointment.

FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS:

Healthy Connections and the KIDS Clinic professionals are committed to the success of children and families and encourage routine visits to ensure healthy minds and bodies. Following an initial visit, a follow up appointment will be scheduled based on the individual needs of each child but at a minimum every 6 months.