• Frequently Asked Questions
     
    Who do I bring to the appointment? You, your child and any additional support person that you feel is necessary. You will remain with your child the entire time.

    How long will the appointment take? The first appointment may take between 1 and 2 hours. If a second appointment is needed this may take between 1 and 2 ½ hours.

    What happens when I get there? At the initial appointment you will meet with intake staff and your concerns and background information will be obtained. A developmental assessment will be administered to your child and the results will be shared with you. If additional evaluation is deemed appropriate, a second appointment will be made or you will be referred to your local district for further testing. Community resources will be shared with you upon your request or staff suggestion.

    If additional evaluation is needed who will be involved? Based upon areas of concern, evaluators may include a speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, school social worker, school psychologist or a specialist for hearing and/or visually impaired.

    If my child is found eligible to receive special education support what might this look like? Services are based upon a child’s needs and range from routinely scheduled appointments with a speech/language therapist to an early childhood special education classroom program. The goal is to address the child’s needs while keeping him/her in the most typical environment possible which may be at the home, daycare, preschool or elementary school.

    Will my child always be in special education? Services are based on need and are discontinued when the need is no longer present.

    What is the cost of the evaluation and/or services? All of our services are free of charge and are provided to residents of Kalamazoo County school districts.

    What ages do you work with? Children are seen ages birth to enrollment in the local school district (5-6 years). For scheduling contact Kathy (269) 250-9649 if your child is under 30 months (2 years, 5 months) or Felicia (269) 250-9670 if your child is 30 months or older (2 years, 6 months) to start the screening process.

    What are your hours of operation? The program is open from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday. Directions to our location can be found under the Map to PET link.