Child and Youth Services
Parents as Teachers (PAT) Family Strengthening
Preschool ESE Program
ABLE MOST Program
Respite Care
Outpatient Rehabilitation
School of Hire Education
Youth Links STEP Program
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
• Established in 2001, ARC Broward’s program was the first in
the country exclusively supporting families of children with
special needs.
• PAT is a national best practice In-home Parent Education and
Support Services model. The model is designed to:
• Improve parenting skills and family functioning
• Advance children’s development (all domains –
communication/language, social/emotional, motor, cognition,
academic readiness)
• Prevent risks of child abuse/neglect/maltreatment
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
• Employ nationally Certified Parent Educators
• Annually, 225 families of children with special needs ages birth through 10
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(developmental functioning through age 5) receive services. Families can enroll in the
program for up to three years.
Conduct assessments (parenting, child development, home safety) and develop an
individualized service plan for each child/family
Service model includes personal visits in home and community based settings
(weekdays, evenings, weekends) and we offer Parent Workshops and Family Fun Days
(weekends)
Wrap around supports include case management, applied behavior analysis and mental
health counseling
Funded by Children’s Services Council (CSC), Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund
Preschool
• Program offers intensive Early Education and Therapy Services
• Serves approximately 65 children ages 3 - 5 years with severe to
profound developmental disabilities whose needs cannot be met in
regular or less restrictive special needs preschool programs
• Children have critical and lifelong impairments in communication,
cognition, social functioning and physical functioning
• Some children require specialized feeding (via Gastro-intestinal
tubes) and breathing treatments
• Every child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• Many children require adaptive equipment and accommodations
Preschool
• Program is staffed with Certified Teachers, Licensed Physical and
Occupational Therapists, Licensed Speech Language Pathologists,
Nurse, Social Service Specialist and Board Certified Behavior Analysts
• Utilize standardized, language/literacy and outcome-based curricula
• Includes a summer session for eligible children
• Ultimate goal of the preschool is for children matriculate to more
inclusive kindergarten programs
• Funded primarily by School Board of Broward County
ABLE
• Specialized after-school and summer camp program for children with
developmental disabilities and co-occurring severe behavioral
challenges who are ages 3 to 22 years.
• Opened in1998 at request of Agency for Persons with Disabilities
(APD) to serve these children as no other after-school program could
serve them and their families were in crisis as result.
• Staffed with Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Certified Teachers, a
Nurse, a Social Service Specialist, Lead Counselors and Counselors
ABLE
• The program has experienced significant expansion over years to its
current enrollment:
• 78 children are served during school year (afterschool and school closure
days)
• 100 children are served during summer (9 weeks – 8:00am to 5:30pm)
• Due to the children’s significant behavioral challenges, the program is
staffed with {staff to child} ratios of 1:1 or 1:2.
ABLE
• Every child has an individualized behavior plan
• The program schedule includes Academic instruction in science, literacy, and
math
• Children participate in:
• Social skills training
• Physical fitness
• Cultural arts and recreation activities (on campus and in community)
• Wrap around services include case management , nursing services and
nutritious meals
• Funded by Children’s Services Council (CSC), the United Way of Broward and
foundation support
Respite Care
• Established in 2001
• Provides specialized, temporary care and supervision to children with Autism
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and other Developmental Disabilities and related behavioral challenges so that
their parents or caregivers can take a much-needed break
Flexible In-home Schedule
Center-Based Services on weekends and school closure days/summer
weekdays
Staff-to-child ratios are one staff to one child in-home and one staff to one or two
children in Center-Based Respite Care
Social, recreational, fitness, academic, daily living activities
Approximately 150 children (each receives168 hours annually)
Funded by Broward County
Rehabilitation Services
• Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapies
• Occurs as a part of the preschool program and in an Outpatient model
• Employ Licensed Therapists and Assistant Therapists
• Provide clinical training and supervision to college interns
• Incorporates pet therapy (Woofie!)
• Works with children to functionally use adaptive equipment,
specialized devices and other accommodations
School of Hire Education
• Began in January 2012 with 2 students. Currently has 18 students
enrolled.
• A post-secondary, vocational preparatory school for teens/young
adults with disabilities (18-22 years of age).
• Offers students community-based vocational training opportunities at
area employment sites.
• Offers students the opportunity to gain work experience at ARC
Broward in 4 career tracks – Clerical, Material Handling,
Childcare/Eldercare, and Culinary Arts.
• Primarily funded by the School Board of Broward County.
Youth Links
• Began in 2003. Serves a minimum of 40 youth.
• Offers after-school programming for 16-22 year olds with disabilities
to help them successfully transition from school to adulthood.
• Offers a 7-week paid summer internship program
• The program is operated on 4 different high school campuses in
Broward County.
• Instruction includes: social skills, daily living skills, and career
preparation.
• Funded primarily by the Children’s Services Council.