MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s Early Learning Programs, supported by the College of Education, recently received over $8.5 million in state funds over the next five years to provide early intervention services to families of children from birth to age 5 with identified special needs.

MTSU’s Home and Community-Based Early Intervention Program, or HCBEI, previously received three years of funding from the same grant in 2021 administered through the Tennessee Department of Disabilities and Aging (formerly known as the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities).

The new grant cycle began this month and will continue for five years to support staff and services provided by the HCBEI, which is a part of the Tennessee Early Intervention System. In 2022, Tennessee became the first state to extend early intervention services to children beyond age 3, allowing eligible families to continue receiving services for their children to age 5.

“We are going all the way from birth to 5, so we are hitting all aspects of development and learning,” said Sharon Scott, director of MTSU’s Home and Community-Based Early Intervention Program.

MTSU’s early intervention program provides developmental therapy and a coaching and education model that uses routine strategies to guide and educate caregivers in helping children with disabilities or delays reach developmental milestones.

Program serves Rutherford County children, families

The program offers a unique early intervention experience within the child’s “natural environment,” which includes their homes, childcare centers, parks, libraries, and other settings that are typically visited by the child and their families.

“Families don’t always recognize that a child isn’t reaching developmental milestones in a timely manner,” said Connie Casha, director of MTSU’s Early Learning Programs. “If it is determined that the child has a developmental delay or a diagnosed disability, the child is eligible for various services, including developmental therapy.”

On average, one interventionist provides 37.5 hours of developmental therapy a week for infants and toddlers with special needs. The program currently serves over 500 families in Rutherford County and is projected to serve nearly 600 over the next five years. 

“One of the great things about the College of Education is we are training educators who want to go into the classroom and homes,” said Scott. “I want us (HCBEI) to be a powerhouse that continues to empower families within our community with the tools they need to help their children meet their milestones.”

Funds help MTSU students receive training

The early intervention program also serves MTSU students by offering internships and training for those wanting to learn more about early childhood development and the field of early intervention.

Sarah Dee started with the program as a student intern at the beginning of 2023 and now works as a full-time early interventionist.

“I have always had a passion for working with children growing up and discovered a deep interest in child development while attending MTSU,” said Dee. “To know that I may have a small impact on the development of a child is something I do not take for granted.

“This job is gratifying, and I wake up every day thankful that I get to be a part of a child’s journey in life.”

Early interventionists are degreed, professional early childhood educators passionate about helping infants and toddlers reach their potential.

“We have presented information on our program to students in education, child and family studies, and social work, to name a few,” Casha said. “This is a growing field, and we want to get more students’ information about this program and the potential for a career in this field.”

To learn more about MTSU’s Home and Community-Based Early Intervention Program, visit https://w1.mtsu.edu/hcbei/.

— Johari Hamilton (Johari.HamiltonGA@mtsu.edu)