Inclusion Today, Community Living for Life (Georgetown UCEDD)

January 28, 2019

Children and the Weinberg Child Development Center, including Danny (far left), sit around a table as staff speak to HHS leaders.

When Megan Scully's four month old son, Danny, was diagnosed with a developmental disability resulting from genetic brain lesions, two of the first questions she asked the doctors were, "would he ever go to school?" and "would he ever make friends?" 

Danny is now three, and his mom says, "Not only does he make friends, but he gets in trouble! He has to be separated from his best friends at nap time because they make too much noise."

Danny's parents attribute much of his success to his participation in an inclusive early childhood program at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Child Development Center in Washington, D.C., where children with and without disabilities learn and play side-by-side.

Last week, HHS leaders had an opportunity to see this inclusive model in action and learn about the innovative partnership between the Georgetown University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) and Easterseals DC MD VA that makes it possible. HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan, Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families Lynn Johnson and ACL Administrator Lance Robertson visited several classrooms and met with staff and parents at the center to hear about how the program works - and the difference it has made for families.

>Read full article and watch a video from The Administration for Community Living. 

Photo Credit: Administration for Community Living