Impact Report 24-25 by childrensdevelopmentalcenter

Our Mission

is to empower families and improve children’s lives through comprehensive early intervention services, education, and therapeutic services.

Our Core Values drive and inform the work we do at the Children’s Developmental Center. Whether times are easy or hard, we are here to listen to families and offer resources to navigate through life together.

A message from the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

What a year we had! There were some highs and lows, and I would love to recap both for our community.

A massive undertaking to complete a feasibility study started at the beginning of our Fiscal Year 2024-2025 and is continuing into the next fiscal year. We have known that our programs have changed since this building opened its doors to families 26 years ago. Our enrollment numbers are growing 15-20% each year, and with that, our staff. The feasibility study started with a building taskforce which collaborated with Arrowleaf Consultants to create a Board, Parent, and Staff ‘needs assessment.’ The data collected from those surveys was analyzed and the Board moved to the next phase of engaging an architect to complete a building feasibility study. We are still in this phase of the process and looking forward to sharing more with our community on our findings.

One of the most exciting highlights of the year was the return of our “Child Behavior Management” parent coaching workshop in Fall 2024. Based on the Incredible Years Curriculum,

this course had long been a staple of our programming until it was paused due to the retirement of our lead Special Education teacher and the onset of the global pandemic. This year, our dedicated provider staff, trained in the curriculum, brought it back with fresh energy, improved content, and a renewed focus on building community.

Parents learned practical strategies to discourage challenging behaviors like screaming, hitting, biting, and tantrums, while also learning how to encourage positive behaviors such as sharing, listening, and following directions. What made this workshop truly special was the sense of connection that blossomed among participants. Parents quickly realized they weren’t alone, that their children’s behaviors were developmentally appropriate, and that support was just a conversation away. We offered both English and Spanish-speaking sections in the Fall and Spring, and we were thrilled to see Spring enrollment double from the Fall! This growth is a testament to the value of the program, and the trust families place in our team.

At the start of this fiscal year, our Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) team set a heartfelt goal: to launch a new program component inspired by our peers across the state: Hospital-to-Home. After years of active participation in the Benton-Franklin Perinatal Collaborative, we knew it was time to close a critical gap in care. Families leave the hospital with a prematurely born baby, feeling overwhelmed and uncertain. It’s during this fragile transition, when the family leaves the hospital and arrives at home, that children could lose the continuity of much-needed therapies.

Our team partnered with Kadlec Regional Medical Center to build a bridge of support. Together, we created a process where Kadlec NICU nurses introduce families to our Family Resources Coordinators to learn about our ESIT program and how we can start services immediately upon discharge. This early connection allows us to begin patient education and bridge care coordination for their child from Kadlec to the Children’s Developmental Center.

This program is a powerful example of what happens when we listen to families, lead with compassion, and work together across systems. I’m incredibly proud of our staff for turning vision into action, and for showing families that they are not alone on this journey.

Sadly, our Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program closed at the end of this fiscal year. It was hard to say goodbye to a mission program that was nearly 8 years in the making. With proposed cuts to Medicaid, the state’s deficit budget, and federal proposals to cut the Department of Education, our Board

Members had a difficult decision to make in how they allocated the budget for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026. In an effort to reduce major impacts to ESIT and Pediatric Pelvic Health programs, and to staff, they made the courageous decision to reduce this program from our operation budget. I worked directly with Catholic Charities, who are starting their own ABA program in Kennewick, to transition families and even our staff.

Zahra Roach Executive Director

03 05 07 09 15 17 21 27 29

Children’s Developmental Center Leadership

Zahra

2024-2025 Board Members

Julie Lindstrom

Board Chair

Hanford Mission

Integration Solutions

Ruben Mendoza

24-25 Vice Chair

25-26 President-Elect

Washington River

Protection Solutions

Claudia Lara

Board Member

American Pacific Mortgage

Molly Connors

Board Member

Basin Gold

Meiske Millward

Board Member

Tri-Cities Chaplaincy

Connie Ostrander

Secretary

State Farm

Shasta Meyers

Board Member

Edward Jones

ReNae Pilgrim

Treasurer

Terra Blanca Winery

Kelly Albamonti

Board Member

Westinghouse Electric

Thank you for 8 years of remarkable service, Julie Lindstrom.

As Board President, she brought compassion, wisdom, and a deep commitment to our mission. Her leadership has made a lasting difference, and she will be dearly missed. We’re so grateful for all she’s given to our Center and the families we serve!

Board Members we have welcomed in 2025: Kathleen Waterbury • Mike Winkel

Jim Kriskovich • Ali Gould

Timeline

2025

Family Resource Coordinators

Our Family Resource Coordinator team is the first contact between the Center and a family in search of services. The team is a welcoming hand to an anxious family, listening to concerns, priorities, and dreams. They guide a family to explore the resources they need to meet their child’s unique developmental goals.

Hospital-to-Home

Hospital-to-Home is a program where Kadlec Regional Medical Center teams up with the ESD123 and the Children’s Developmental Center to ease the transitions for families in the NICU in receiving positive medical outcomes for babies. Together, we’re creating a network of care that surrounds our most vulnerable community members with the help they deserve. Families can expect that before they leave from the hospital, they’re ready for what’s next.

Pediatric Pelvic Health

Our Pediatric Pelvic Health program helps children and adolescents who are experiencing issues such as daytime accidents, bed wetting, constipation, or pelvic pain. The physical therapist addresses the dysfunctions in coordination with the child’s doctors, along with providing resources the family and caregivers can use to solve the root causes of the problems, whether they are physical, dietary, or behavioral. Pelvic floor health can also help with posture, balance, and core stability.

Parent Testimonial

“ Brea is an excellent therapist. She was so caring and loving with my daughter through a sensitive situation. She was even thoughtful and caring to me as the mother. I would hands down recommend Brea to anyone that needs her specialized services. ”

Early Support for Infants and Toddlers

The largest program the Children’s Developmental Center provides is Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT), serving children between birth to 3 years old. ESIT offers three main services:

Special Instruction

Our developmental specialists work one-on-one with children, supporting their individual cognitive, social-emotional, and adaptive developmental needs. These providers work hand-in-hand with parents and caregivers to create opportunities for learning within a child’s typical daily routine.

Motor Therapy

Our motor team helps children who need assistance growing their motor skills. Fine motor skills include things like grasping a crayon or buttoning a coat. Gross motor skills are crawling, walking, and jumping. Both of these assist activities for daily living, like playing, moving, and learning.

Speech-Language Pathology

Our speech team helps children who need assistance with receptive and/or expressive language, articulation, and oral-motor function. They also address swallowing or feeding concerns and assist hard-of-hearing and deaf children in developing speech and language skills.

Applied Behavior Analysis

With deep appreciation and a heavy heart, we annnounce the conclusion of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program at the Children’s Developmental Center.

This decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of the program’s service model and financial sustainability. Despite eight years of dedicated service, the ABA program has consistently operated at a financial deficit. Anticipated reductions in federal funding further challenge our capacity to maintain all services. To uphold our commitment to the community, we must prioritize our Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program, ensuring early intervention services remain available for our youngest and most vulnerable children.

Since its inception, the ABA program has provided individualized, evidence-based behavioral therapy to children aged 2 to 6 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Our dedicated team of therapists has worked closely with families to develop personalized treatment plans, focusing on enhancing communication, social skills, and adaptive behaviors. The program’s success is reflected in the meaningful progress achieved by many children and the strengthened resilience of their families.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all families who have entrusted us with their children’s care. Your partnership has been invaluable, and we are here to support you as we navigate this transition together.

ABA Program began at the Center September 2017

116 children served from 2017-2025 years of dedicated service to our community

December of 2003, Payton Viera was born at 26 weeks, weighing one pound and 13 ounces. He was so small, his father’s wedding band fit around his arm.

Between receiving services through the NICU at Kadlec Regional Medical Center and the in-home health visits that followed, the Vieras discovered the Children’s Developmental Center while searching for early intervention programs that would put Payton on a successful path to growing up.

“I don’t think he would be where he is today if we didn’t have this place, because that early intervention just makes a huge difference,” said his mom, Christina Viera.

Payton remembers the extra classes in school, in addition to the many types of therapy he participated in. The role early intervention plays is key for a child’s success when they are experiencing developmental disabilities or delays. “We did everything from gross, fine, speech, sensory, feeding, and there’s probably a bunch of other ones in there that I can’t remember,” his mom said. The Vieras found the Children’s Developmental Center, which specializes in each of these therapies: from motor, to speech-language, to special instruction.

“It’s there for you, for your child. It’s there for the taking, right?

So, use it as much as you possibly can, because this is what we have in our community,” Christina urged.

At a year and a half old, Payton was diagnosed with autism.

Payton said his parents never told him he couldn’t do something because of his diagnosis. They told him he was just going to live his life.

“If I’m going to do something, I’m gonna just do it,” Payton said. “I’ve never thought that it would hold me back.”

He says he knows there are things he does that are ‘different,’ or not considered ‘normal.’ There were some obsessive compulsive habits that were hard to break, sensory issues around clothing and food, and an emphasis on structure and schedule, but it never stopped him.

More than two decades since receiving services at the Center, Payton

is working on his Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Math at Washington State University Tri-Cities. He’s on track to graduate with the degree in Spring of 2026. He’s working at Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) through a paid co-op engineering internship program.

A big ‘thank you!’ to the Viera family for sharing their story about finding the Children’s Developmental Center and how it impacted their lives.

Summer Cuisine 2024

$64,805 raised

Wine Fête 2025

$221,204 raised

Small Collaborations

This year, we enjoyed several meaningful small collaborations that brought people together in fun and impactful ways.

Our Trunk or Treat event is our annual Halloween celebration for families to enjoy.

We also organized a Goodwill drive, encouraging donations, promoting sustainable giving for a fun week of spring cleaning.

At the start of the summer, our kid’s painting class with Art YOUR Way fostered creativity among all ages.

These events help strengthen our connections and highlight the power of community engagement. We are excited to build on this success and explore more community collaborations in the coming year.

Community Engagement

Throughout the year, the Center participates in various community engagement activities around the Tri-Cities to share that we are a resource, and to let people know about the programs we have to offer.

From joining in on the Arc of Tri-Cities’ March for Respect, to setting up booths at various events to get the word out about our Center, our goal is to make sure that people in our community know who we are and what we do.

Part of our community engagement includes assisting other local nonprofits in the work that they do, like when we helped Elijah Family Homes paint a house.

756 22 58

836 children served number of children served per program

21,984 direct service appointments

812 families served

58 monthly referrals

counties served

Benton, Franklin, Yakima, Grant, Walla Walla

91.5% full-time

4.25% part-time

4.25%

$3,725,000 $431,500 $326,500 $225,000 $133,500 $86,898

Breakdown

Events & Donations

Grants & Contributions

Total Income Percentage

$4,928,898 Total Income Total Salaries, Wages, Benefits

$3,931,000 100% Compliance Rate We meet all Washington state contractual obligations. Program Services & Operational Costs

$894,000

$4,825,000 Total Expenses

Every helping hand makes a difference.

The work we do at the Children’s Developmental Center could not be possible without the support of our community partners. Businesses, organizations, staff, volunteers, individual donors, and the families we serve who believe in our mission of providing early intervention services are the reason we can do what we do. Thank you!

Thank You, Sponsors!

Apollo Mechanical Contractors

Arrow Roofing & Construction LLC

Basin Gold Cooperative

Cornerstone Wealth Strategies

Country Financial – Brian Castellanos

Discovery Financial Services

Edison Valerio State Farm

Edward Jones – Chris Hallett

Edward Jones – Ryan Brault

Edward Jones – Shasta Meyers

First Response Counseling

Gravis Law

Hanford Mission Integration Solutions

HAPO Credit Union

Highstreet Insurance and Financial Services

Inline Computer & Communications – Greg Hammer

Legends Casino

Ruben Mendoza

Morfin Law Firm

North Wind Group

Numerica Credit Union

Ojeda Business Ventures

Ostrander State Farm Insurance

Petersen Hastings Investment Management

Quail Ridge Dental

Retter & Company Sotheby’s International Realty

Rhonda Urich State Farm

Sageview Youth Psychology

Eve & Jeff Swain

Therapy Solutions

Three Rivers Dental

Tri-Cities Chaplaincy

Washington River Protection Solutions Westinghouse

*All listed businesses and corporations donated to the Children’s Developmental Center during our 2024-2025 Fiscal Year.

Ways to Support the Children we Serve

Donate

Right now, the Center is raising money for our Capital Campaign. The goal is to expand our building, and therefore expand the services we’re able to offer.

Consider joining us for Wine Fête or Summer Cuisine! There are sponsorship opportunities, as well as smaller collaborations throughout the year.