Early Intervention for Babies and Toddlers in Berks County
The Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities office oversees Early Intervention for children from birth until the child reaches the age of 3, the program that arranges therapy and support for babies and toddlers who are behind in their development or have a disability. Early Intervention is provided in Pennsylvania under the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, which funds it from birth until the age a child begins elementary education. The county program handles the birth to age 3 part.
Children from birth to three years of age may receive services if the child has a delay in development in one or more areas of development, has a physical disability, or has a condition which has a high probability for developmental delay.
Some children do not meet the eligibility criteria for early intervention services but have conditions considered to be "at risk." For them, Infant Monitoring can be provided. It covers children who weigh under 3 1/2 pounds at birth, have been cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit, are born to a chemically dependent mother, have been seriously abused or neglected, have confirmed lead poisoning, or homelessness.
The services listed are: - Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) - Service Coordination - Physical Therapy - Occupational Therapy - Speech Therapy - Special Instruction - Audiology - Nutrition - Vision - Infants, Toddlers, and Families Medicaid Waiver
The page does not say how often services are given, where they take place or how long a child can receive them.
To start for a child under three living in Berks County, contact Service Access and Management and request an Early Intervention Intake at 610-236-0530.
Service Access and Management also takes an Early Intervention referral online at wellness.sam-inc.org/ei_referral. The form asks for the referral date, the county of the child's residence, the referral source's name and phone number, the child's name and date of birth, the parent or guardian's name and primary phone, the child's address, insurance information and the referral reason or concern. Files in PDF, JPG, PNG or TIFF up to 10 MB each can be attached. The referral source can be a parent or family member, a physician or healthcare provider, a hospital or NICU, childcare, a home visiting or family center, a homeless shelter, Children & Youth Services or another social services agency.
The Berks Early Care and Education Council (BECEC) is a collaborative of parents and organizations that provide services to infants and toddlers throughout the County.
For general questions about the county program, the Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities office is at the Berks County Services Center, 8th Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, phone 610-478-3271, open Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. That is a general department contact, not the Early Intervention intake line.
The page does not say what Early Intervention costs, so ask when you call. It also does not say what to bring, how long intake takes, or the hours the intake line is answered.
Source: berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…, read September 18, 2026.
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can be provided for children who: Weigh under 3 ½ pounds at birth Have been cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit Are born to a chemically dependent mother Have been seriously abused or neglected Have confirmed lead poisoning Homelessness
In Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program’s words
Early Intervention is provided in Pennsylvania under the Office of Child Development and Early Learning. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning funds Early Intervention from Birth until the age a child begins elementary education. The MH/DD Programs oversees the Program from Birth until the child reaches the age of 3.
Organization
Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program
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This listing summarizes publicly available information from berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.