Delly Greenberg, 49, of Reston, has been named to the State Interagency Coordinating Council by Gov. Mark Warner (D). Greenberg will start a new job as a parent-infant educator next month with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. She recently worked for the City of Alexandria Services Board as an infant development specialist.
The purpose of the Interagency Coordinating Council is to advise and assist the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services in the development and implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. The 20-member body consists of 11 gubernatorial appointees and nine designated representatives from various state agencies such as the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Services, among others.
Although the council has not yet held its first meeting this year, Greenberg has at least one major goal in mind as a new appointee to the advisory group. Her key interest, she said, will be to "bring the real life, front-line reality facing parents and providers" involved in caring for infants and preschoolers with special education needs to the attention and awareness of state policy makers.
"It is also important that families know about these services," Greenberg said. "Early intervention programs are federally funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Act and offer free screening and evaluations." Services are available in cities and counties throughout the state for families of infants or toddlers, birth to 36 months who have actual, suspected, or potential development delays, she added.
Greenberg was drawn to the field of early intervention programs because of the opportunity to prevent problems at an early age. "I was interested in helping children develop their potential and to support families in the early stages of their child's development," she said.
A native of Venezuela, Greenberg worked as a clinical psychologist and a school psychologist in Caracas. After moving to the United States in 1985, Greenberg earned a master's degree in counseling and development at George Mason University and later received a master's degree in infant special education from The George Washington University. Greenberg first lived in Reston in 1985, then moved to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, in 1990 where she stayed until 1996 before returning to the area to live in Bethesda, Md. She has been a Reston resident since 2001 where she makes her home with her husband of 28 years, Charles, an architect, and three daughters.