SoonerStart is available to families of any income level anywhere in Oklahoma at no direct cost. SoonerStart is funded by state and federal dollars. Vision and hearing are also evaluated.
Therapists can evaluate even newborns for a hearing or vision loss.
Communication - receptive language is the understanding of words and expressive language is the sounds, words or gestures or any means used to communicate. Initially, a SoonerStart case manager, called a resource coordinator, visits the family, tells them about the program, and gets information. The child is then evaluated by at least two staff from different disciplines, for example, a speech pathologist and a physical therapist. The child is typically evaluated in their home and the parents are part of the evaluation process. A service plan is written with the family and it lists the services, how often they occur and explains what the therapist will be doing with the child.