Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) is a statewide service delivery system for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families by:
- Providing a coordinated, comprehensive and integrated system of services for infants and toddlers with special needs, birth to 3 and their families.
- Providing early identification and screening of children with developmental delays and chronic health conditions.
- Improving the developmental potential of infants and toddlers birth to age 3, with developmental or chronic health conditions.
Babies Can’t Wait serves children from birth up to their third birthday, regardless of income, who meet one of the following criteria:
- have a diagnosed physical or mental condition which is known to result in a developmental delay or
- have a diagnosed developmental delay confirmed by a qualified team of professionals.
Evaluation and coordination are provided at no cost. Services are provided on a sliding fee scale.
Referrals
Babies Can’t Wait works closely with physicians and healthcare providers to identify infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities so they the children and their families receive the support they need. Anyone can make a referral to Babies Can’t Wait, including but not limited to social workers, physicians, parents, childcare providers, teachers, or other clinicians. The best time to refer a family is at the earliest sign of a delay. The brain develops most rapidly during the first three years of life, providing a brief window of opportunity to detect developmental delays in children and address them before they become barriers to healthy development.
Services Provided
Babies Can’t Wait uses a team approach to promote coordination between families, primary care providers, and other team members. A highly-skilled team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, special instructors, service coordinators, and others work together with children and their families to provide intervention services, training, resources, and referrals in the community that meet the families’ needs and that benefit the children’s development. Participation by families and caregivers is a very important part of the Babies Can’t Wait program.
Learn more about the signs of developmental delays in infants and toddlers.
Please note that the Babies Can’t Wait program serves clients through home visits, not at a clinic.
Babies Can’t Wait
740 Prince Ave – Building 15
Athens, GA 30601
706-369-6101 (phone)
More information about the Babies Can’t Wait program.
