Project Title
Scaling Comprehensive Developmental Screening and Navigation for Children Across Wayne County
Grant Amount
$200,000
Priority Area
Special Projects Fund
Date Awarded
September 25, 2025
Region
Finger Lakes
Status
In Progress
Website
More than 16% of children in the U.S. have one or more physical, cognitive, or communication developmental delays or disabilities.
Supportive early intervention services can mitigate or reverse negative outcomes if they are provided in the first three years of a child’s life. While free early intervention services are available to all eligible children with disabilities, only 24% of children, ages 0 to 5, in New York State are evaluated and referred to services. Screening disparities are even more pronounced in rural communities where there is limited access to providers, long travel distances, lack of public transportation, and inadequate referral systems. In Wayne County, where 21% of children under the age of six live in poverty, these barriers are significant. Wayne County Action Program (WCAP) and its partner network have stepped up to address these barriers in the Finger Lakes by bringing the Get Ready to GROW initiative to the region, which delivers comprehensive developmental screenings and follow-up appointments for children ages 12-60 months. In 2025, NYHealth awarded the Wayne County Action Program, Inc. dba Finger Lakes Community Action a grant to expand a comprehensive early intervention screening, navigation, and referral program.
Under this grant, WCAP will ensure young children across rural Wayne County schools receive essential developmental and health screenings and are connected to care and support services. With co-funding, WCAP will partner with a comprehensive network to expand the Get Ready to GROW program, providing screenings in schools, Head Start locations, and childcare centers, serving a total of 1,500 children. It will build an integrated referral network of early intervention services to reduce delays in care for families and coordinate with primary care and social service providers. WCAP will provide technical assistance to other school districts, and share its model through trainings and presentations at state and regional conferences.