CHAMBERSBURG – Coordinators of Laurel Life’s Sprouts kindergarten-readiness program credit the teamwork of its dedicated staff with the success of the new initiative.
Sprouts therapeutic treatment is for Franklin County preschoolers ages 3 to 6 who need extra support developing important life and learning skills, according to Laurel Life’s Margaret Denning, director of operations for IBHS (Intensive Behavioral Health Services) and Lindsey Ensminger, vice president of community wellness programs.
The program, located at 7564 Browns Mill Road, serves children with behavioral health diagnoses such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
Sprouts, which began in 2023, is built on. Applied Behavior Analysis, a science-based approach that helps children develop meaningful behaviors and new skills. Applied Behavior Analysis focuses on positive reinforcement and strategies based on research that meet each child where he or she is.
“We’re able to see through the kids their progress … some who didn’t have any verbal communication when they started with us, and now they’re able to tell us when they need to go to the bathroom or what toy they want to play with,” according to Denning. “Those are huge strides.”
The program, which started with one class, will soon open a third classroom – each has nine students. “That shows a lot of success as far as what we have been able to do,” added Denning. “Keeping it small allows us to offer unique experiences for the kids who are attending.”
Family connection support is an important aspect of the program, Ensminger noted. “Parents interact at drop off and pick up – it’s a good opportunity to communicate with each other – families who have similar needs and for socialization.”
Ensminger said Sprouts is hoping to offer transportation. “That has been a barrier and we don’t want it to be. We are working with school districts and other revenue sources and I am writing grants to fund it.”
The center now boasts an outdoor space for the children that was financed with a grant from Franklin County in 2024.
There are on-site visits from Franklin County Bookmobile and therapy dogs, and students also venture outside the classroom with community outings and field trips.
“We recently went to a gymnastics center and they gave the kids free reign of the building on the gymnastics equipment,” Denning said. “The experience is not just about when they’re there, but riding in the vehicle … everything that goes into skills they’re learning along the way.”
The program is funded through the insurance of the participants or their parents. “The process starts in a variety of places, such as referrals of pediatricians, local daycares, or parents (themselves) hearing about Sprouts,” Ensminger noted.
“There are some challenging days,” Denning said. “But it’s the everyday teamwork of our staff we see with the happiness of the kids when they come in after the weekend, excited to see their teachers.”
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