Available Services in San Francisco for Children with Special Health Care Needs, 0-5

Services for Children 0-3

Early Start

Early Start is the California program that provides early intervention services, as mandated by IDEA Part C, to children 0-3. It is a multi-agency effort by the Department of Developmental Services (in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Regional Center) and the Department of Education (in San Francisco, the San Francisco Unified School District). For more information about these agencies, check the Key Agencies section of this website.

Early intervention is meant to provide resources, services and support to children with special health care needs and their families. Services may include, but are not limited to:

assistive technology, including devices or services;
audiology or hearing services;
family training, counseling and home visits;
health services necessary to enable an infant or toddler to benefit from other early intervention services;
medical services for diagnostic/evaluation purposes only;
nursing services;
nutrition services;
occupational therapy;
physical therapy;
psychological services;
respite services;
service coordination services;
social work services;
special instruction services;
speech and language services;
transportation and related costs;
vision services.

Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC) and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) are the agencies responsible for coordinating and delivering early intervention services. (See eligibility in order to find out which agency is most appropriate.)

Early Start Early Intervention Programs

The following Early Start programs provide early intervention services to children ages 0-3 in San Francisco.

Blind Babies Foundation

Blind Babies Foundation provides home-based early intervention services to infants and preschool children who are blind, visually impaired or multihandicapped and visually impaired, and their families. Support services include home visits and accompany families to medical and educational assessments.

Easter Seals

Easter Seals of the Bay Area provides an early intervention program providing speech, occupational and physical therapies, along with special education services for children 0-3 who are developmentally delayed.

Family Developmental Services

Family Developmental Services offers a multicultural, center-based developmental and educational program for children 0-3 with special needs. Occupational and physical therapy are offered on site through California Children Services (CCS).

Parent-Infant Program, California Pacific Medical Center

An early intevention program for children at risk for developmental delays supported by the Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC), the Parent-Infant Program provides developmental and support services to children and their families.

Hearing and Speech of Northern California

Hearing and Speech of Northern California is a private, non-profit hearing and speech facility which offers a full range of audiologic/speech/language evaluations and therapy and a Parent-Infant program.

San Francisco Unified School District

The San Francisco Unified School District provides an early intervention program for children with a solely low incidence disability (visual, hearing or severe orthopedic impairment), and others with developmental delays, as space allows.