Helpful Staff

First Steps Home

First Steps is a program of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. This interdisciplinary program brings together resources from the fields of education, health and social services to meet the special needs of children and their families.

Regular hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern time Monday through Friday

First Steps central office mailing address:

First Steps Program
Department for Public Health
275 East Main St., HS2W-C
Frankfort, Ky.  40621

Phone: (502) 564-3756

Fax: (502) 564-8003

Program staff and phone extentions:
Rebecca Hahn, RN - Central Office Supervisor, POE and ICC Liaison, ext. 3800
Kirsten Hammock - Part C Coordinator/Program Administrator, ext. 3973
Betsy Kennedy - Financial Administrator, ext. 4589
Julie Brooks- Quality Assurance Administrator, TA Evaluation Specialist Liaison, ext. 3742
Lynn Butler - Training Coordinator, ext. 3762

Jackie Neal - Provider Enrollment Coordinator, ext. 4049
Lisa Dorman, Family Share Administrator, ext. 4050
Jackie Sampers - Primary Level Evaluator, ext. 3660 or

859-433-6021 (cell phone) or 859-548-2118 (home phone)
Teresa Krebs-James - Record Review Coordinator, 502-852-4136
Jeannie Bourg - Website Editor, ext. 3763

For a list of district early intervention councils and coordinators (DEIC), Click here.

Primary referral sources, families and other interested parties access the First Steps program locally through 15 system points of entry (POEs) covering the 15 Area Development Districts (ADDs). 

POEs are responsible for receiving all referrals to the First Steps program, facilitating eligibility determination through the coordination of developmental evaluations and assessments and coordinating the development of the initial Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). 

POEs also are responsible for local Child Find activities, local public awareness activities, local interagency coordination/collaboration, administrative monitoring and analysis of POE and district performance.

Point of Entry Staff Listing

Point of Entry Locations

2008 POE Meeting Schedule (exact dates not yet determined)

January 18     videoconference

March 18        face-to-face

July                videoconference

October

First Steps university-based Technical Assistance Teams is the first line of contact for families and providers when they have questions about the First Steps program. For a list of the Technical Assistance Team responsiblities, click here.

For a list of the First Steps Technical Assistance Team staff, click here.

The Eastern Kentucky University Team                                          
Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs
110 Johnson Lane
Barbourville, KY  40906
Phone:  606-546-5109     1-800-348-4279
Fax:  606-546-4199

• Cumberland Valley District - Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Rockcastle and Whitley counties;
• KY River District - Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe counties; 
• Lake Cumberland District - Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, McCreary, Pulaski, Russell, Taylor and Wayne counties

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The Morehead State University Team serves counties in the Big Sandy, FIVCO and Gateway area development districts, including:

• Big Sandy District - Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin and Pike counties;
• FIVCO District - Boyd, Carter, Elliot, Greenup and Lawrence counties;
• Gateway District - Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan and Rowan counties.

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The Murray State University Team
MSU – Dept of Early Childhood Education
234 Alexander Hall
Murray, KY  42071-3340
Phone:  270-809-6828     888-451-0058
Fax:  270-809-3078

• Pennyrile District - Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Todd and Trigg counties;
• Purchase District - Ballard, Carlisle, Calloway, Fulton, Hickman, Graves, Marshall and McCracken counties.

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The North Key Community Care Team serves counties in the Buffalo Trace and Northern Kentucky area development districts, including:

• Buffalo Trace District - Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Robertson counties;
• Northern KY District - Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton counties.

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The University of Kentucky Team
229 Taylor Education Building
Lexington, KY  40506-0001
Phone:  859-257-1135
Fax:  859-257-1325

• Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas, Powell, Scott and Woodford counties.

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The University of Louisville Team
571 South Floyd St., Suite 100
Louisville, KY  40202-3828
Phone:  502-852-7884     502-693-7914
Fax:  502-852-7679

• Kentuckiana District - Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble counties;
• Lincoln Trail District - Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson and Washington counties.

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The Western Kentucky University Team
First Steps Grant
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd. #31030
Bowling Green, KY  42101-1030
Phone:  270-745-4641
Fax:  270-745-2939

• Barren River District - Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties;
• Green River District - Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster counties.