Families on the San Mateo County coast who have had to drive "over the hill" for help with a young child's development now have a bigger option close to home. The Colibrí Child Wellness Center opened Thursday, Oct. 8, in the La Piazza courtyard in downtown Half Moon Bay.

Who runs it

The center is run by Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS), a Half Moon Bay nonprofit, with Stanford School of Medicine's developmental-behavioral pediatrics team through a partnership called ALAS PRIMES. Stanford says its team works inside ALAS to spot children at risk for developmental disorders and help families get services, including referrals to the Golden Gate Regional Center. The program is funded by the California Department of Developmental Services.

What families can get

Services are free for children from birth to age 5, and kids need a referral through the ALAS PRIMES partnership, according to the Mercury News. The space will host weekly parent-child playgroups, on-site speech, occupational and physical therapy, and diaper distribution. ALAS says the wider program also offers home visits and help families navigate developmental and special education services. Many of the children served have conditions such as autism, Down syndrome and ADHD.

The program previously worked out of a second-floor office in Camila Court across the street. Antonio López, ALAS's director of research and advocacy, told the Mercury News the new ground-floor center has about twice the room, giving children with special needs more space to move.

Why it matters on the coast

Stanford's program page says the team travels to farmworker communities and uses Zoom and transportation help to reach families who are cut off by distance or language. County officials estimate up to 2,000 farmworkers live in Half Moon Bay and along the coast, the Mercury News reported. ALAS founder Belinda Hernández-Arriaga told the paper that having the center close by is necessary at a time when many immigrant families are afraid to seek help.

State Sen. Josh Becker, who attended the opening, praised the research behind the program and said more of it is needed nationwide.