All About Kids Looks to Help More Children and Adults with Disabilities

oe logoAll About Kids (AAK), a division of Opportunity Enterprises, has been providing early intervention services for children for more than 20 years. This division of OE promotes a family-focused service for infants and toddlers from birth to three years who are at risk for a disability based on diagnosis, birth history, or medical condition, or who have a developmental or physical delay, or disability. All About Kids is located at 3101 Evans Ave., Valparaiso.

Through Indiana’s First Steps program, All About Kids offers therapeutic services to promote cognitive, social, sensory, physical, and speech development. All About Kids also offers developmental groups for two-year-olds and three-year-olds that are open to children of all abilities.

There are currently 44 children attending OE’s All About Kids’ developmental groups. Also known as “Play Groups,” these groups help children learn developmental skills, social skills, and independence. The play groups are held Monday through Friday. Sessions are offered from 9-11a.m. and 12-2 p.m.

Elizabeth Rieth, Director of Youth Services for OE, said her current goal is to provide a continuum of services for children from birth to adulthood. “All About Kids is expanding and growing. Part of my job as director is to bridge the gap between very young children and youth. We are working to provide a clinic to the community for individuals with disabilities of all ages. Our physical, speech, occupational, and developmental therapists will be available by appointment and families will be able to use their insurance, Medicaid, or waiver,” said Rieth.

Rieth is a licensed physical therapist, and has been a director for OE’s All About Kids since August 2014. She has been in the field of working with children with disabilities for more than 30 years. Currently, Rieth oversees a department of ten therapists.

Under the guidance of Rieth, therapists are also working on collaborating with programs at OE’s Lakeside facility to provide speech therapy and physical therapy to adults. “All About Kids is excited to be connected with all aspects of OE. I want to see clients and other programs benefiting from our therapists. I know it will be beneficial for our team to be well versed in all the agency has to offer. It is important that we provide resources for all of our clients,” said Rieth.

“I am reaching out to the community to expand our age population, increase participation in our program, and heighten awareness and education about early intervention. Our services impact families, children, and young adults. We hope to keep families engaged and informed with upcoming events and workshops. We are excited to share more information about OE’s new youth initiatives in the near future,” she said.

To learn more about All About Kids, call 219-462-0786 or contact Elizabeth Rieth at elizabeth.rieth@oppent.org