In a new twist on the importance of books, ACHIEVA’s Early Intervention is launching a new program at West Penn Hospital to promote literacy and the value of early help for children facing developmental challenges or disabilities.

“Books at Birth” will provide families who give birth at West Penn’s NICU with a book for their newborn along with information about ACHIEVA’s Early Intervention services for children through age 3 in Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Early Intervention is a federally-funded program for children in that age range who show signs of a developmental delay, or are born with a disability.

ACHIEVA officials said the Allegheny Medical Society Foundation is supporting the new program.

“This program not only promotes early literacy and language development by encouraging reading to your child from a very young age, but it also educates parents about early intervention,” said Sharon Richards, ACHIEVA’s Vice President of Early Intervention.

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