DES Early Intervention Service Provider Recognized for Service, Explains Importance of Early Intervention

Owner and Program Director Dana Hutchings (middle) accepts a recognition award from AzEIP.

The DES Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) recently celebrated Sunrise Therapy Services for receiving the highest determination in its implementation of services for five consecutive years!

AzEIP supports families that have children from birth to 3 years old with disabilities or delays by providing early intervention services through specialists who assist with supporting the development of young children. The program relies on ten contracted agencies to deliver services in their respective regions throughout Arizona. Sunrise Therapy Services is developing its legacy in Northeast Maricopa County.

Dana Hutchings, the owner and program director for Sunrise Therapy Services, was proud to have received a service award like this, as there is a lot of work that goes into comprehensive early intervention services for families.

"It means a lot. It is nice to get that award because we put a lot of extra effort into supporting all our staff. It's the first award we've ever gotten. It's good to get one after you've worked really hard," said Dana.

Sunrise Therapy Services provides occupational, speech, and physical therapy, as well as developmental special instruction for children of all ages, but early intervention services is Dana's favorite part of the work she does.

"You can make the most change from 0 to 3 in a child's life. Neurology is still fresh to make those new pathways, so it's my favorite age, and it's so important to do it right. We're always trying to learn how to do better and talk to families a lot and try to get feedback," she added.

Early neurology-or brain-development is vital for children in the early intervention range (0 to 3), as it is much easier to get children on track than with someone who is older, Dana said. That is why it's important to be aware of the early signs in children instead of waiting until they're older, as treatments can become more costly and significant.

"Our goal is to always get them where they're going to be able to function in school, so we have that very small window to try and get them as close as they can to typical development so they can be right with their peers," said Dana.

To see if early intervention services are right for your child, visit the Arizona Early Intervention Services website.

October 11, 2024

Ben Flores