USF Bay Area Early Steps Program

10/13/2025

Our friends at Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands & Polk Counties, Inc. invite you to their Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on November 20. More information below! We are looking forward to this event!

Hey
We’re excited to invite you to celebrate a new chapter for the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk!

Come see our freshly updated office and community room; a space designed to better serve families across our community. This open house is a wonderful opportunity to:

🌷Tour our new location and explore the improvements we’ve made
🤝Meet our coalition team and learn more about our programs and partnerships
🍥Enjoy light refreshments and networking with community partners
🎬Be among the first to view the premiere of our brand-new Healthy Start of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk promotional video

Let’s celebrate our continued growth and shared mission to give every baby a healthy start in life.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
📍 Location: 650 E. Davidson St., Bartow, FL 33830

Kindly RSVP by Friday, November 14th to help us plan for refreshments and seating.

We’d love to see you there! For more information, contact us at 863-534-9224 or info@healthystarthhp.org.

10/07/2025

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month! 💛💙

This month and every month is a time to celebrate individuals with Down Syndrome, raise awareness about their abilities and potential, and encourage a welcoming environment and understanding. It's also an opportunity to support families and highlight the importance of early intervention.

Every child grows and develops at their own pace, but research shows that a child’s first three years are the most important time for learning.

At Early Steps, we provide services to infants and toddlers from birth up to age three who are diagnosed with an established condition, such as Down syndrome, that may result in developmental delays. Early support can make a big difference—because every child deserves the best start in life. 💫

09/30/2025

September is National Baby Safety Month. As the month comes to a close, let's take a moment to reflect on the importance of keeping babies safe.

As National Baby Safety Month comes to a close, our commitment to protecting children does not. Prevention isn’t just for September — it’s every day, all year long.

Safe sleep, strong families, supportive communities, and caring connections are what keep Florida’s babies safe and thriving.

Let’s carry these lessons forward, continue sharing resources, and stand together for children and families — not just this month, but always.

Because prevention is powerful. Prevention is possible. And prevention is year-round.

09/23/2025

Are you a caregiver of a child with autism and looking for support?
Join our ASD/Autism Support Group in Lakeland this Friday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

For more information, contact Evelyn, Family Resource Specialist, at efigueroa2@usf.edu

09/22/2025

Happy Fall! Take a look at some activities for babies this fall season 🍂

Introduce Baby to the beauty of fall with sensory activities! 🍂 🎃

Enjoy sensory play with leaves, explore pumpkins, take nature walks, and try seasonal flavors to celebrate autumn with your little one.

Check out our full list of therapist-approved sensory activities to do with Baby this fall: https://pathways.org/fall-activities-for-babies

sensoryactivities

09/19/2025

A special thank you to the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County for inviting us to attend the Education of Young Children’s Summit at The Motor Enclave! Big thanks to the guest speakers for sharing such a powerful message about early learning.
We had a great time!

09/17/2025

We are looking for a Florida-licensed Physical Therapist and an Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist (ITDS) to join our team in Polk County!

The University of South Florida Bay Area Early Steps Program holds the Children's Medical Services Early Steps contract for the Bay Area, which covers Hillsborough and Polk Counties.

🌐Apply today at: jobs.usf.edu
🔍 Search Job #41564 or #41397 for the Physical Therapist position
🔍Search Job #41195 for the Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist (Human Services Practitioner) (ITDS Early Steps)
⭐️Join our team!

Please share with your network!

09/16/2025

🌟 Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! 🌟 September 15, 2025 to October 15, 2025

At Bay Area Early Steps, we proudly stand with the Hispanic community — honoring the vibrant cultures, deep traditions, and invaluable contributions that enrich our shared experience.

We are proud to serve Hispanic families every day, providing early intervention services that support every child’s growth, development, and potential — in a way that respects culture, language, and community.

🤝 We want our families to know: Early Steps services are available to all eligible children, and we do not prohibit services based on alien or citizenship status. Every child deserves a strong start, and we're here to help make that happen.

This month, and every month, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and heritage of our Hispanic families. 💛✨

09/12/2025

Have you raised a child with a disability? Become a Volunteer Support Parent! Family Network on Disabilities shows you how. Take a look below ⤵️

Make a Difference – Become a Volunteer Support Parent

Have you raised a child with a disability or special needs? Your story has the power to inspire hope and transform lives. Through the Parent to Parent Program at Family Network on Disabilities (FND), families across Florida connect with Volunteer Support Parents who offer invaluable encouragement, guidance, and understanding.

As a Volunteer Support Parent, you will:
- Provide one-on-one support to families
- Share Florida-specific knowledge and resources
- Offer emotional encouragement during tough times
- Build lasting connections and community

You’ll communicate with parents by phone, Zoom, or in person, offering empathy, shared wisdom, and reassurance that they are not alone.

Why Volunteer?
- Free expert training
- Be part of a statewide network
- Develop valuable skills
- Make a lasting difference in families’ lives

Learn more: https://buff.ly/pRR4XV1

Apply today: https://buff.ly/MkVzRt1

09/05/2025

Meet our FL-EPIC Team!

Regina – Provider Coach
Jennifer – Provider Coach
Cathy – Professional Development Credentialing Coordinator
Theresa – Lead Implementation Coach

Florida Embedded Practices and Intervention with Caregivers (FL-EPIC) is an approach to early intervention service delivery in which providers coach caregivers to use strategies during everyday routines that support their child’s development and learning.

Last week, our team hosted a FL-EPIC Caregiver Coaching Workshop – Cohort 7 – for our providers. This workshop equips providers with tools to coach caregivers during home visits on using relationships, repetition, and routines into daily activities to support infant and toddler development, focusing on social-emotional development.

Thank you to all who attended!

08/27/2025

🎉 Great News! Our State Online Referral System is Back Up!

You can now make a referral directly on our state website — and anyone can make one, not just your pediatrician!

Every child develops at their own pace, and if you have any concerns about your child’s development, Bay Area Early Steps is here to help.

We provide early intervention services at no cost to infants and toddlers (birth up to 36 months) with developmental delays, disabilities, or at-risk conditions — serving Hillsborough and Polk Counties.

✨ Making a referral is easy:

🌐Visit floridaearlysteps.com/make-a-referral
🖱Select the county where the child lives (Hillsborough or Polk)
📝Complete the form that appears
✅Click submit

Someone from our office will contact you within 5 days.

📞 Have questions? Call us at 813-974-0602 — we're happy to help!

08/25/2025

We had a great time at the Community Wellness and Back to School Event this past weekend hosted by and ! Thank you for having us be a part of this event supporting families.