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I hope you are staying cool and being cautious. Here are updates for this week.
ACT Updates/Reminders:
Thanks to all who have identified the need for weighted blankets for children. We still have some available.
All ACT agencies are available to continue to provide services to children exiting AzEIP services. Remember to offer this as an option to families during the transition planning meeting and thereafter. Next week, I will provide updated contacts and information for ACT agencies that provide 3+services.
It looks like we may be providing tele-intervention for a few more months. Here are some ways you can support families during this time:
AzEIP has identified the need to stay connected with AzEIP families during this critical time. Don’t forget that there are additional units allocated to support families.
Reaching out to the families more often by sending emails and calling to check on how things are going and if a family needs additional community resources.
Zoom sessions can be challenging to capture a child’s attention, or even some parents’ attention, for an hour. Think about having more shorter sessions than having an hour session with a family.
With the adjustments school districts have had and are having to make, their Part B requirements for transition could take a little longer. We can support the schools by sending current child’s present levels of development and other records. If a child hasn’t had an evaluation (DAYC, REEL, etc.) in over a year; then we can complete an assessment (evaluation) to provide additional information to the school district. The assessment (evaluation) would be billed directly to AzEIP or DDD, as we currently do. In this case, a DER would not be completed. However, you may write a brief summary, which can be part of your contact notes. School districts are mostly looking for scores.
As part of TBEI services, a family has access to all core team members. Continue to collaborate as a team to ensure all core team members have opportunities to meet the family and child through joint visits, coaching, annual assessments, IFSP meetings, etc.
ACT has a SLP who is utilizing her additional non-direct team lead units to help support families by making materials that parents can use and delivering the materials to the family.
Stay connected with DCS workers.
ACT No Contact Letters (NCL) and the guidance document have been updated. Included in this Memo are the updated documents. (8.13.2020)
To ensure consistency across all three regions, ACT has one Team Coordinator, Susan Becerra, to provide direct support to the teams. To build team rapport among team members and Team Coordinator, ACT has developed a communication guide for providers. The guide identifies Susan as the point of contact for all team matters, such as, collaborating with DDD and ASDB; questions about referrals and transfers; questions about TBEI services; issues or challenges with the team meeting agendas; concerns with a family; and concerns with another provider or the team. Providers would contact Susan for support in those matters, instead of contacting their agency leads. Susan would determine if support is needed from agency leads. Please review the Provider Communication Guide for more information.
AzEIP Updates/Reminders:
As we plan for a child’s transition, don’t forget to collaborate with Head Start and/or other programs or agencies that provide services to children 3+.
Documents:
Upcoming Information:
Guidance and Sample for DDD Application
ACT Agencies Information
Stay safe and wear your mask!
Caroline Oglesby
ACT Program Manager