Chances are, you know a family in Putnam County that the Early Intervention or Preschool Special Education programs have impacted. The dedicated staff ensure eligible children are connected to services to help them grow and develop. Margaret Yurus, a senior service coordinator in the Early Intervention program, has been matching Putnam families with service providers for nearly 20 years. Continue reading to learn more about Margaret and her work at the health department.

What is your favorite part of working at the health department?

The sense of community amongst the staff. There is always an effort to support one another both in times of need and in times of celebration.

Is there a particularly rewarding experience you’d like to share?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the benefits it provides for children and their families.

I recently received my “annual update” from a family whose child left our program about 5 years ago. It is rewarding that our time together fostered a relationship that tells them I would be happy to receive an update years later.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

We all spend some of our time on the phone, responding to emails, and entering information into files and data systems, but the best part of the day is joining a therapy session and seeing a child’s progress.

What do you wish the public knew about your job?

The services that the Early Intervention Program can provide and the resources we can help families access. Many people don’t know we exist until their pediatrician recommends a referral to our program.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Early Intervention is a time-sensitive, detail-oriented, team effort at every step, and perfection is impossible. We have a saying that has been around since before I got here that can help us during the high-stress moments: “There is no EI jail.”

What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

Do your best, patience is a virtue, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

To be eligible for Early Intervention services, a child must be under 3 years of age and have a confirmed disability or established developmental delay, as defined by NYS guidelines, in one or more of the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional, and adaptive. Talk to your pediatrician about a referral or make one at putnamcountyny.gov/health/early-intervention. Eligibility and screening for the Preschool Program is done through your school district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE). A list of contacts for the districts Putnam children may attend can be found below or at the website listed above. If you have any questions about either program, please call 845-808-1640. 

Additional Resources: 

• Early Help Makes a Difference
• Developmental Milestones
• Early Intervention Steps: A Parent’s Basic Guide to the Early Intervention Program
• Ideas to Help Children Bloom
• Promote Learning Through Play – A Preferred Toy List
• Speech & Language Development Guide
• Teaching Speech and Language Skills: A Family Guide
• Tummy Time Tools
• TV Screen Sense
• CPSE Program Contact Information