Maria Bravo’s grandson, Darryl, was diagnosed with a visual impairment and cognitive disability at just three months old. It wasn’t until he was nearly two, that a doctor first used the word “blind” when discussing Darryl’s impairment. Bravo says it was a sobering moment—there was no ambiguity and absolutely no confusion about the severity of her grandson’s condition. “Initially, I just cried and cried over all the things he wasn’t ever going to see,” she says. “We just couldn’t imagine what life would be like.”
That was in the late 1980’s, shortly after Baby IDEA was enacted. Baby IDEA or IDEA Part C is an extension of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law to ensure that every child, no matter his or her disability, has the right to a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE). Baby IDEA guarantees those rights for children from birth to three years old and their families.
Maureen Casey, Acting Assistant Director for the DES Division for Child and Family Engagement, says Baby IDEA has come a long way in the 30 years since it was enacted. As a result of Baby IDEA, the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) was established as a way to pool the resources of various state agencies, making them more accessible to those in need.
“Through this program, we have had great success in connecting infants, toddlers and their families with much needed interventions and supports, which can be essential in helping the child establish a solid foundation for school and continued growth and development,” says Casey.
Bravo knows, firsthand, the power of early intervention. A support coordinator from the Division of Developmental Disabilities has been working with Darryl since he was an infant. Early in his care, he was also assigned to the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind. Bravo says with the support of other parents in similar programs, she immersed herself in all activities, programs and services that would teach her to care and advocate for her grandson.
As part of AzEIP, Darryl also received all therapies, which included music as part of his interests. Bravo says that marked a major milestone in her grandson’s development. “[Music] therapy has been the greatest thing. He said his first word, “guitar” because of music therapy. I can tell you right now, that I can still feel the tears running down my face when I hear the word ‘guitar.’ ”
She has since served on the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, which is the Disabilities Planning Council today, and the Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers. She credits the support, education, and information she received in Darryl’s first three years, for his level of independence and her ability to become a strong voice in his development.
Today, Darryl is 27 years old. He attends a day program, he can use a brailler, and his favorite pastime is going to Bookman’s to listen to music or purchase CDs. Bravo continues to advocate for Darryl and has become a beacon of hope for other families going through similar situations.
“The most important thing for your story is learning that we’re not alone—we can learn from other parents and families,” she says. “For me, that [collaboration] is the greatest lesson, gift, and blessing I could have received at the time.”
For more information about the Arizona Early Intervention Program or the Division of Developmental Disabilities, please visit our website.
By Vielka Atherton