Mission Statement:
Rainbows United, Inc. is a not-for-profit, private agency committed to enhancing the lives of children with or at risk for disabilities through customized preventative, evaluative, educational and therapeutic interventions and supportive family centered services.

Values:
We value the provision of early intervention services.
We value intervention based on individual needs.
We value and recognize children's families as primary caregivers and decision makers.
We value the delivery of services by qualified staff.
We value innovation and best practices.
We value collaboration and cooperation among agencies.
We value our responsibility to be good stewards.

History:

• 1972 - Founded by Linda Weir-Enegren and established as non-profit Kansas Corporation
  
• 1977 - Purchased building which became Proctor Ritchie Center
• 1991 - Expanded to second facility, Ritchie Family Center, following successful Capital Campaign
  
• 1992 - Assumed responsibility for services formerly provided through First United Methodist Church's In-Home Respite Care program
  
• 1993 - Assumed responsibility for services formerly delivered by Wichita Council for Preschool Blind
  
• 1993 - Became lead and fiscal agent for Part C services to infants and toddlers in Sedgwick County
  
• 1993 - Assumed sponsorship of Connecting Point, a project of the Sedgwick County Early Childhood Coordinating Council
  
• 1994 - Licensed as Child Placement Agency for special needs foster care
  
• 1996 - Opened Kids' Cove, a child care facility in northwest Wichita, following successful Capital Campaign
  
• 1997 - Became lead and fiscal agent for Part C services to infants and toddlers in Butler County
  
• 1998 - 1999 - Uptown Kids, a child care facility in the Rainbows United Family Enrichment Center at 340 S. Broadway opened. Administrative and support personnel, and direct services staff moved from multiple locations to lower and upper levels of the Family Enrichment Center.

What We Do and Who We Serve:
We provide early intervention services through home based and center based service delivery models for children birth to five with special needs. We provide case management services, respite care, supportive home care and foster home placement for older children eligible for Home and Community Based Services and respite care for individuals with disabilities across the life span. Rainbows staff use a holistic approach to design services to meet the individual needs of individuals with disabilities and their families. Programs and Services include the following:

• Information and Referral (through Connecting Point)
• Comprehensive Evaluations and Assessments
• Hospital to Home Transition Services
• Home Based Services
• Small Groups
• Outpatient Therapies in Speech, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
• Center Based Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Services
• Therapeutic Child Care
• Transportation
• Community Based Education and Training Services
• Parent Support
• Respite Care
• Home and Community Based Services
• Foster Family Training and Child Placement

P> Demographics:

• Home based programs serve 238 children.
• Center based and preschool programs serve 352 children with special needs and 125 typically developing children.
• Community based programs serve 60 children.

Funding:
Our $8,000,000 budget for 1999 is supported through multiple funding sources, including state and federal educational funds, Part C funds through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, United Way of the Plains, Social and Rehabilitation funds, Sedgwick County mill, contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals, parent fees and third party payments.

Staff and Volunteers:
A staff of more than 350 includes certified and licensed staff in the disciplines of early childhood special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language pathology, psychology, social work, nursing, and hearing and vision impaired specialists. Other direct services staff include para educators, bus drivers and aides, and respite care providers. A volunteer board of 29 community leaders provide guidance and support, while directing the course of the agency's future.

Staff Development: All new staff attend a new employee orientation. Collaboration for inservice days exist between Rainbows United, USD 259, and Head Start. Site based inservice days are set and implemented, including "Team" days for individual classroom teams to spend all or part of a day in inservice or problem solving sessions.

Agency Affiliations:
Rainbows' facilities are licensed as special needs child care centers by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The agency is recognized as a developmental preschool by the Kansas Department of Education. The Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services contracts with Rainbows as a special purpose child care facility. Rainbows is licensed as a Child Placement facility by Mental Health and Retardation Services of S.R.S. The Proctor Ritchie Center and the Ritchie Family Center were accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs in 1994. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recognizes Rainbows as the lead and fiscal agency for Infant/Toddler services in Sedwick County and Butler County. The agency has partnerships and collaborative working relationships with numerous organizations and agencies throughout the state.

Locations:

Rainbows United Family Enrichment Center (and main office)

340 S. Broadway
Wichita, KS 67202-4304
Phone: 316-267-KIDS (5437)
Fax: 316-267-5444

Uptown Kids - a model early education and child care center

340 S. Broadway
Wichita, KS 67202-4304
Phone: 316-267-KIDS (5437) x144
Fax: 316-267-5444

Proctor Ritchie Center - nursery, half day and full day care and early intervention services

2615 N. Wellesley
Wichita, KS 67220
Phone: 316-684-7060
Fax: 316-684-5534

Ritchie Family Center - nurseries, half day and full day care and early intervention services

251 S. Whittier
Wichita, KS 67207
Phone: 316-683-7061
Fax: 316-683-1578

Kids' Cove - nurseries, half day and full day care and early intervention services

2258 N. Lakeway Circle
Wichita, KS 67205
Phone: 316-945-7117
Fax: 316-945-7447

Rainbows' Connection - half day early intervention, small groups

603 S. Erie
Wichita, KS 67211
Phone: 316-681-0522
Fax: 316-681-0834

Connecting Point - information and referral for young children, sponsored by Sedgwick County Early Childhood Coordinating Council

340 S. Broadway
Wichita, KS 67202
Phone: 316-267-3535
Fax: 316-269-0653

Bright Beginnings - infant/toddler services for Butler County

206 N. Griffith, Suite B
El Dorado, KS 67042
Phone: 316-320-1342
Fax: 316-320-1216