Interagency Collaborations

PACT collaborates with numerous public and private agencies including: the Kennedy Krieger Institute; local Infant & Toddlers Programs; the University of Maryland’s Center for Infant Studies; Maryland State Department of Education; Abilities Network’s Project ACT; Port Discovery; Martin Luther King Early Head Start Program; Baltimore Mental Health Systems; local school systems; ARC; Maryland School for the Blind; Johns Hopkins Hospital and others to help ensure that families with children with special needs or other challenges have access to the services they need.

PACT staff members participate in the Baltimore City Infants & Toddlers Interagency Coordinating Council (I.C.C.), Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care, Child Care Advisory Council, the Abilities Network Advisory Council, and Child Trauma Prevention and Treatment Group.

In addition, PACT staff and Board members have joined other non-profit organizations in advocating with state and local leaders about the need for programs serving children with special needs.

Community Outreach

In partnership with the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders and Baltimore City Infants and Toddlers Program, PACT developed “Early Starts”, a pilot program for young children, 18 to 36 months, who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. These children receive an intensive morning classroom experience in the child care center led by a Speech/Language Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist. For the remainder of the day, they join the other children in the child care center where they benefit from socialization and other inclusion opportunities.

Spanish speaking speech/language pathologists provide evaluations and therapy to Hispanic families who have young children with delays and/or disabilities (based on availability). PACT also works with bilingual Infant and Toddler service coordinators to improve access to all services.

PACT’s Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapists provide evaluations and therapies in its community based center and in a number of Baltimore City Head Start Centers.