Parents and therapists praise Easterseals Joliet early-intervention services

Parents, program staff and former clients spoke in a public presentation about Easterseals Joliet’s early-intervention and family-support services, saying the programs provide therapy, equipment and community connections that help children take part in everyday life.

"We are going for our tenth surgery December 11, and she's just the love of my life," said Heather Jacobson, mother of 14-year-old Stevie Lynn, during her remarks about longstanding services and recent progress. Jacobson said Stevie, diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) as an infant, uses a wheelchair, is tube-dependent and nonverbal but has shown gains since resuming therapy. She singled out a longtime therapist, Wendy, for consistent support through surgeries and therapy.

Deborah Walters, a physical therapist who works with the state's early intervention program and Easterseals, described the range of supports Easterseals provides, including wheelchair clinics, positioning pillows, standers and bath chairs. "We have a lot of different assistive devices and things that they can use at home," Walters said, adding that outpatient therapy and equipment help children be as functional as possible at home and in school.

Parents described concrete outcomes and reliance on early intervention for equipment. One mother said, "Every piece of equipment we have came from EI," referring to early intervention services that supplied adaptive devices and home-based supports when her child was young.

Speakers also pointed to community-based outreach and partnerships that connect families to services. Program staff described Jumpstart, a free home-visiting program funded through the State Board of Education that provides two visits per month, developmentally appropriate activities and developmental screenings every six months. Staff said they accept referrals from local agencies, work with the Morris Public Library and participate in school and community events to reach families.

A former client, Joseph Wright, now an engineer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, credited early services with helping him develop fine-motor and adaptive skills and with getting classroom accommodations. "I've always had a computer in front of me from starting with Easterseals," Wright said, reflecting on how supports translated into later opportunities.

Program staff and group facilitators urged families to use available supports and highlighted practical access points: home visits, equipment clinics, outpatient services, and community events that offer screenings. The presentation closed with contact and outreach information for families interested in services or volunteering; staff pointed listeners to joliet.easterseals.com for recruitment information and offered program contact details for client connection.

The presentation largely featured first-person accounts, staff descriptions of program offerings and no formal votes or policy decisions.