COE Early Childhood Programs Receive Nearly $10 Million in Grant Funding for Intervention Services
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Two early intervention resource agencies for young children with developmental delays and disabilities are here to stay for several more years the University of Memphis to aid Memphis and Shelby County families. This is thanks to three grants from the State of Tennessee totaling $9.2 million. The two agencies, Project Memphis (PM) and the Regional Intervention Program (RIP) have proven track records of evidence-based intervention services in the area and are excited to have those services extended. Dr. Laura Casey, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) with UofM’s College of Education (COE), is the principal investigator (PI) for all three state-funded grants.
“It is an honor to be able to continue these service grants at UofM,” Casey said.
“The work is very impactful to the community, as we provide evidence-based early intervention
to children and families with special needs. Because of these grants, families in
Memphis and Shelby County can receive essential services during the critical early
years that otherwise may be unavailable or cost prohibitive.”
PM is acquiring most of the funding, $8,827,000 between two grants. The grants come from the newly formed TN Department of Disability and Aging (DDA), formerly the state’s Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) and Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD). The first grant, worth $2,535,000, is center-based and going toward Project Memphis Ready, or PM Ready, extending the center’s services to 2029. PM Ready currently provides developmental therapy services to twenty-four children who have been diagnosed with autism or have social and communication or behavior delays that may make preschool challenging. They have been operating out of the Porter-Leath University of Memphis (PLUM) Early Learning Academy in Orange Mound since 2022 and have recently moved to Porter-Leath’s South Memphis center.
"The University of Memphis' early intervention programs continue to be an essential asset to our system in West Tennessee. Children and families can find the support and services they need within the important work of these programs" said Kelly Hyde, Assistant Commissioner of the Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), a wing of DDA.
PM’s Home and Community wing, which specializes in providing developmental therapy to families in Shelby County either in the child’s home or childcare center, is receiving the largest of the three grants, $6,292,000, guaranteeing their services until 2029. Home and Community services provide families with the skills to support and meet the needs of children with developmental disabilities. Currently, the entire Project Memphis umbrella serves more than two-hundred children and their families in Memphis and Shelby County annually, but in the new grant cycle, these two Project Memphis programs will work with over 350-450 families and their children each year.
“We are thrilled to have an increase in the number of families we will now be serving
in the Memphis and Shelby County area,” said Charmaine Sego, the Program Coordinator
for Project Memphis. “We strive to provide the highest quality intervention services
and engage many UofM students who are preparing to work with young children and their
families. Early intervention produces lasting developmental changes that impact children
and their families long after they leave our care. It is exciting to be part of the
change! It is exciting to see families grow and thrive.”
Finally, RIP will receive $464,980 from the TN Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, which will ensure the agency’s services to 2027. RIP is a statewide program with operations in Memphis for families with children aged 2 to 6 who have moderate to severe behavior problems. Parents attend the program, located on UofM’s Park Avenue campus, with their child for two hours twice a week for up to 4-6 months to learn strategies and to become teachers and therapists for their own children.
RIP Coordinator Jennifer Davis said, “For many parents, their child's challenging behavior can be a source of stress and isolation. Family relationships can be strained, therapy is costly, and isolation can occur as parents limit social encounters to avoid triggering tantrums in public. Renewed funding allows us to continue empowering parents with strategies they can implement right away, provide a community for parents with shared experiences, and help children get the early intervention they need for future success. Partnering with the University of Memphis gives the community trust in our programs and shows UofM’s dedication to supporting the needs of our community.”
"For decades, the parent-implemented, professionally supported model of the Regional Intervention Program has changed lives of children and families across Tennessee," said Melissa Binkley, Regional Intervention Program Director. "We're so grateful to our partners at the University of Memphis for their work, and we're so excited to extend this funding for three more years to create countless more success stories."
PM and RIP are both housed within UofM’s College of Education and its Department of Instruction and Curriculum Leadership.