Our program philosophy holds that parents are experts and primary teachers of their children.
Harbor Area Early Childhood offers developmental therapies to children ages birth to six years, using family education, training and support. Our dynamic multi-disciplinary team works in partnership with parents and caregivers to promote prevention and hope by adding developmental and therapeutic strategies into daily routines.
“On behalf of my family and myself, I must express the gratitude that we have towards you and your staff for the services provided at the Harbor Area program for my son. Assigned to him were exceptional, talented, dedicated and committed people.”
–EI Parent
Services include:
ECS Programs:
Harbor Area Early Intervention (EI) Program (birth to three):
Early Intervention services are provided to infants and toddlers meeting state criteria of developmental delay or who have risk of delay due to environmental, medical and/or biological factors.
Our multi-disciplinary team consists of providers and therapists with training in early intervention, education, clinical social work and mental health, child life, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, music and art therapy, and speech therapy. All members of the Harbor Area EI team are certified Early Intervention Specialists by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Harbor Area Early Childhood values the diversity reflected in the communities we serve, having staff members with linguistic competency in Spanish, Portuguese, ASL, and other languages. Our team also values having staff who live in our communities, and those with lived experience. Some 30% of our team has been working at the program for over 10 years.
Our EI services include:
- Child developmental assessment & evaluation of strengths and needs
- Service Coordination; a primary EI Specialist is assigned to each child/family
- Home visits: developmental and family support services individualized to child and family
- Community therapeutic playgroups and parent groups
- Resource, referral and assistance with Transition Planning
Other Early Intervention (EI) specialized program areas include:
- Infant Mental Health/Family Support: using developmental, trauma-informed, & expressive therapies frameworks
- Neonatal EI services for children born early or who present as medically fragile
- Intensive developmental and family support services for children presenting on the Autism Spectrum (ASD).
- Vision and hearing services for children with specific diagnosed conditions
Who pays for EI Services?:
Early Intervention services are paid for by private health insurance, Medicaid, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. There are no charges or out-of-pocket costs to families for any early intervention services.
Preschool Services(children three to six years):
A small number of Preschool services are provided to children ages 3 to six years who have aged out of Early Intervention services and may benefit from additional social emotional support.
- Family/Child Play Therapy
- Trauma-informed family counseling
Our Service Communities:
North Suffolk’s Harbor Area Early Childhood Services (ECS) provides Early Intervention and family support services to families living the communities of East Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop and the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown.
To make a referral to one of our intake coordinators, please call:
Phone:(617)569-6560
Fax:(617)569-1856
HARBOR AREA EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES
130 Condor Street, East Boston, MA 02128
A program certified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Our Agency
Founded in 1959, North Suffolk Mental Health Association, Inc. strives to help people achieve independence and fullness of life by providing a wide array of community-based, person-centered treatment, recovery and rehabilitation opportunities, by intervening as early as possible, by promoting prevention, education and hope, and by participating in training and research.
