Laredo Public Health updated the committee on family support services for children and young adults with special needs and announced upcoming community events and staffing plans.

Staff said a disability-awareness event will be held next Saturday through March 29 (staff will circulate a flyer) and that the Family Support program will host a World Down Syndrome Day walk on Friday. The walk and related activities were described as family-focused with games and other child-friendly activities; staff asked the committee to share the events with community networks.

Program staff identified the program’s age range as serving children and young adults from 1 to 20 years old and said the program helps families connect to therapies, financial assistance and transitional services. Staff said they plan to add a case manager to improve outreach and follow-up with families and to help navigate daycare and transition services where childcare centers lack specialized training.

Public-health staff also said they will revisit prior trainings for childcare centers to improve capacity to serve children with disabilities and that Parks and Recreation has recently hired a disability specialist to support inclusive recreation offerings. No formal action was taken; staff will share event flyers and next-month updates with the committee.