Regional Coordinator Promotes Family-Centered Approach to Early Intervention

Spotlight on Michele Presley
Campaign Champion, Oklahoma

Michele Presley sees time and again the benefits of early intervention—especially in the support offered to families of young children with developmental delays. “We know that the sooner we can start working with a child—and the family as a whole—the better the results,” she says. 

As regional coordinator for the SoonerStart Early Intervention Program, the state of Oklahoma’s nationally recognized early intervention program, Michele oversees four teams of service coordinators. Her teams provide evaluations; case management; family training and home visits; nursing services; and occupational, physical, and speech–language therapy.  “We help families find doctors and obtain services; we’re also in their homes, listening to moms, dads, and the rest of the family,” she adds. “We are dedicated to the whole family.” 
Supporting the entire family is key to the child’s success. “We help parents deal with the range of emotions they may feel upon finding out that their child has a developmental delay,” says Michele. “We must help parents first before they can help their child.”

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Estelle Flank
Campaign Champion, Maryland

As a seasoned parent, early childhood educator, and community college professor, Estelle Flank has sharp instincts about child development. She credits the "Learn the Signs. Act Early." campaign with giving her the tools she needs to help her education students at Montgomery College develop their instincts, too.

Before becoming an adjunct professor at Montgomery College in Montgomery County, Md., Estelle was an early childhood educator and HeadStart instructor in the public school system for nearly 20 years. She now teaches education courses at Montgomery College, where her students—including current and future educators—learn about child development.

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