Transcript Document

EarlySteps and the SICC:
An Overview of Louisiana’s Early Intervention System
and its Advisory Council
What is EarlySteps?
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EarlySteps, Louisiana’s Early Intervention System, is
the Part C program of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act (IDEA), which is federal
legislation that was reauthorized by US Congress in
November 2004
EarlySteps History and Legislation
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Early intervention is a series of supports provided by authority of this
federal law originally passed by Congress 20 years ago.
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Louisiana has always participated in Early Intervention since the
legislation began and was originally called ChildNet with the
Department of Education.
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In July 2003, DHH became the Lead Agency, and the system name
was changed to EarlySteps. OCDD administers the program in DHH.
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Currently, every state participates in the Part C program (Ex. Georgia’s
early intervention is called “Babies Can’t Wait.” Mississippi’s is “First
Steps.” )
EarlySteps: Progression in Legislation
Individuals
With
Disabilities
Education
Act
Known as
Part C;
reauthorized
in 2004
ChildNet
Department
of Education
is Lead
Agency
EarlySteps
2003 DHH
becomes
Lead
Agency;
2007 OCDD
oversees
What does EarlySteps provide?
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Children and families enrolled in EarlySteps receive
supports and services which enable them to help
their child progress developmentally and to improve
their child’s functioning as a family member within
the daily routines of the family.
EarlySteps is a family education and training
program.
Mission and Philosophy
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To provide a family-centered, community based, interagency service system
for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, where families are
supported and the potential of each child is maximized.
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All eligible children and families have a right to comprehensive early
intervention services, therefore they will be provided regardless of sex, race,
color, creed, place of residence, culture, language or the family’s ability to
pay.
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The family is the constant in the child’s life, while the service systems and the
personnel in those systems fluctuate, therefore the system will be familycentered and designed to meet the needs of the family rather than meeting
system needs
Mission and Philosophy
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The structure and definition of families vary widely, as do the existing natural
support systems of individual families. Therefore, the system will define “family”
in a broad manner to include individuals considered as family and their supports
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Children and families vary according to specific strengths and needs. Therefore,
the service system will be comprehensive and flexible to meet varying strengths
and needs of children and families. It will strive to assist families in other areas
such as respite and child care.
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Families and children will have access to coordinated resources. Therefore, The
system will coordinate services across all agencies , provide families with clearly
defined points of entry and support the family through effective service
coordination.
A Family-Centered Support Model
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All children have a right to be part of a family, and families have the right to
remain intact. Therefore, the service system will be committed to supporting
families in their efforts to maintain children with special needs in the home. The
service system will service children in the context of the family, and efforts will
be directed toward maintaining family unity.
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Children and families have the right to develop their potential within natural
settings. Therefore, the system will provide early intervention services in
natural environments, and encourage maximum participation and integration in
community life.
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The needs of children and families are dynamic. Therefore, the system will
allow for ease of entry, and ease of exit when services are no longer
necessary. Additionally, the system will provide a mechanism for re-entry
should services once again become needed.
A Family-Centered Support Model
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Children and families have a right to quality programs. Therefore, the system
will ensure that services are provided by appropriately trained and qualified
personnel.
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Families have a right to privacy and other procedural safeguards. Therefore,
the system will be designed in such a manner as to protect these rights.
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Families have a right to determine what is best for their individual situation and
to fully and equally participate in the planning and implementation of
intervention. Therefore, the system will provide necessary resources to the
family to enable the family to become, or continue to be, the primary advocate
and planner for the child. However, these roles will not be thrust upon families
who are unable or unwilling to assume them. In all cases, the family will play
an integral part in the assessment and the development of the individual family
services plan.
Who is Eligible?
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The child must be age birth to 3 years, but not passed their 3rd
birthday.
The child must live in Louisiana.
The child must have a diagnosed medical condition that has a high
probability of resulting in a developmental delay.
OR
The child is experiencing developmental delays in two areas as
measured by a developmental assessment [Battelle Developmental
Inventory—(BDI-2)]in the following areas:
Who Is Eligible Continued?
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Physical Development (crawling, walking, seeing,
hearing)-fine and gross motor.
Cognitive Development (learning skills or problem
solving)
Social and Emotional Development (playing with
others, showing feelings)
Adaptive Development (feeding, getting dressed)
Communication (listening, talking, expressing self)receptive and expressive language
Autism Screenings
•
Offered at the initial evaluation to newly referred children age
18 months and older
•
At every six month review and annual review for children age
18 months and older who are already receiving services
•
At the request of families
What supports and services are offered?
There are 17 early intervention family support services that may be
accessed through EarlySteps:
 Assistive technology devices and services
 Audiology Services
 Family Training, counseling and home visits
 Health Services (family education and to assist with other
EarlySteps services only)
 Medical Services (for diagnostic & evaluation purposes only)
 Nursing Services(family education and to assist with other
EarlySteps services only)
 Nutrition Services
What supports are offered?
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Special Instruction
Speech Language Pathology
Transportation (to and from EarlySteps services
only)
Translation/Interpreter Services (Foreign Language
and Sign Language)
Vision Services
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Psychological Services
Service Coordination
Social Work Services
Where are supports provided?
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EarlySteps supports are provided in the home or any
other community setting where children live and
play.
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This is often referred to as the natural environment of
the child, a setting which would be typical for a child
between the age of birth and three years.
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Some examples would be the home, childcare
center, park and grandmother’s house.
Natural Environment - Home
Why provide supports here?
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Providing supports and
services in the natural
environment reinforces
the acquisition of
developmental skills
that can be practiced
throughout the day
during the typical
routines of the child and
family.
Child Find Component
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Federal law (IDEA) requires that Louisiana
identify, locate and evaluate all infants and
toddlers who are eligible for Part C
(EarlySteps) supports and services.
Referral Process
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Physicians, hospitals, public health facilities and other health
care providers are required to refer any child they suspect may
have a developmental delay or a medical condition with a high
risk of resulting in a developmental delay to EarlySteps no more
than 7 days of seeing the child.
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To make sure we identify all children needing Early Intervention
services, parents may refer their own child.
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Anyone can refer a child to EarlySteps.
How are referrals made?
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Referring a child is a simple process.
EarlySteps has 10 System Points of Entry (SPOEs) set up across
the state to perform intake and eligibility activities for children referred
to EarlySteps.
The person making the referral should determine which parish the
child lives in and contact the SPOE for that parish by phone, fax, mail,
or email.
A list of SPOEs is on the SICC website and on the EarlySteps website
A parent can call the SPOE and make a referral by phone.
Remember, anyone can make a referral to EarlySteps.
Referral number: 1-866-EarlySteps or 1-866-327-5978
After the referral:
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After the SPOE receives the referral, the SPOE
Intake Coordinator contacts the family of the child
being referred within three working days.
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If the family is interested in receiving supports,
arrangements are made to make a visit within 10
working days from the date the referral was received,
to complete the intake activities.
Determination of Eligibility
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The next step is determination of eligibility, which
will involve a Comprehensive Developmental
Assessment of the child by professionals enrolled as
EarlySteps providers.
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For those children who have a medical condition,
their medical diagnosis must be documented by the
appropriate professional qualified to make the
diagnosis, such as their pediatrician.
If child is eligible …
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If the child is found eligible to receive EarlySteps
services, a team, which includes the parents, is chosen to
complete an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) for
the child.
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During this meeting, the outcomes the family wants to
achieve are identified from the family-directed
assessment. The teams decides what supports are
needed to assist the child and family to achieve these
outcomes. The family also chooses service providers
who are enrolled with EarlySteps to provide these
supports.
Timelines
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The entire process
we just described
should not exceed
45 calendar days
and services are
available at no cost
to families.
Indicators of Success
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How do we measure EarlySteps’
success?
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How do we know we are meeting our 17
requirements?
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General Supervision System or Quality
Enhancement Process
Quality Enhancement
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Monitoring Activities: cyclical and focused
Policies and Procedures
Professional Development and Targeted
Technical Assistance
Fiscal Management
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Data Processes: EIDS and Complaint System
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Dispute Resolution
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Improvement, Correction, Incentives, Sanctions
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Quality Enhancement
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State Performance Plan
Annual Performance Report –
Due February 1 Annually
--Performance Indicators
1. Services provided within 30 days of IFSP
2. Infants and Toddlers receive services in Natural
Environments
3. From entry to exit children improve in social emotional,
knowledge, and behavior
Quality Enhancement
4.
5.
6.
Families know their rights, communicate child
needs, help children develop and learn
1.5% of 0-1 year olds in LA are identified
(1.64%)
2.65% of 0-3 year olds are identified
(2.50%)
7.
IFSPs developed within 45 days of referral
Quality Enhancement
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13.
Children transition at age 3
System identifies and corrects
noncompliance within 1 year
Complaints are resolved in 60 days
Due process hearings adjudicated
within timelines
Mediations result in agreements
Data is timely and accurate
Keeping up with the latest …
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Updates for EarlySteps including the State Performance Plan
(SPP) and the Annual Performance Report (APR) are reviewed
at quarterly State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC)
meetings and are posted on the EarlySteps website.
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EarlySteps child count and Status of the Region reports are
discussed at SICC quarterly meetings
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Public comment and questions are encouraged at SICC
quarterly meetings
What is the SICC?
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The SICC is an independent board that advises EarlySteps.
When a State participates in the early intervention program, the
SICC is a required component.
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The ICC functions under the Governor’s Office of Community
Programs.
Organizational Structure: SICC and EarlySteps
Governor’s Office
Department of Health and
Hospitals (DHH)
Governor’s Office of
Community Programs
Executive Director
State Interagency
Coordinating Council
for EarlySteps (SICC)
Office for Citizens with
Developmental Disabilities
(OCDD)
MOU
EarlySteps: Louisiana’s
Early Intervention System
Council Membership
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All council members are appointed by the governor and represent the
population of Louisiana.
The SICC membership is composed of:
(1) at least 20% parents of children with disabilities;
(2) at least 20% public or private providers of early intervention services;
(3) at least one member from the state legislature;
(4) at least one member representing personnel preparation;
(5) at least one representative from each of the state agencies involved in the
provision of, or payment for, early intervention services;
(6) at least one member from the state education agency responsible for
preschool services;
(7) at least one member from the agency responsible for the state governance
of health insurance;
(8) at least one member representing a Head Start agency or program in the
state;
(9) at least one member representing the agency responsible for child care;
(10) other members selected by the Governor.
Committee Information
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What are standing committees? What are ad-hoc committees?
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Our standing committees include the Executive Committee, the Program
Components Committee, the Comprehensive System of Personnel
Development (CSPD), and the Public Relations Committee.
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The Executive Committee is made up of the ICC council officers and
chairpersons from each committee, including ad-hoc committees, and each
committee receives one vote on the SICC Executive Committee. The vice-chair
of each standing committee may attend and vote in the absence of the chair. A
Lead Agency Representative shall be present at the Executive Committee
meetings.
Ad-Hoc committees are formed to complete a specific goal/purpose and
dissolve after the task is completed. The SICC Chair determines the need for
an ad-hoc committee and appoints the chair of the Committee
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How do I join a committee?
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You may request an application from Christie Smith @
[email protected] or you may visit the SICC website @
http://gov.state.la.gov/SICC to fill out an online application.
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Your application will be reviewed at the next Executive
Committee meeting for approval and you will be notified of your
acceptance.
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If you have questions about which committee you may be the
best fit for, reach out to Christie Smith @ [email protected]
or 225-219-7560.
Your role as a member: Advising Effectively
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Attend Regional Interagency Coordinating Council (RICC meetings) in your
area.
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Attend quarterly SICC meetings (January, April, July, October)
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Email Christie Smith @ [email protected] to be added to the email
distribution list to receive all statewide updates and ICC meeting notices.
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Visit the SICC website—it is updated regularly @ http://gov.state.la.us/SICC.
Review the Strategic Plan online to take a comprehensive look at pending work
of the ICC and completed activities.
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Join a committee.
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Schedule meeting or call at your convenience with Executive Director.
RICC meetings
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Each Region within the state has an
Interagency Coordinating Council
(RICC). Parents, guardians,
caregivers, providers, stakeholders,
and all interested parties are
encouraged to attend RICC meetings
to stay current with the latest
information and provide valuable
feedback.
Regional Coordinators are listed on
the SICC Website and the
EarlySteps Website
Quick Facts: Recap
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EarlySteps is Louisiana’s Early Intervention system
The SICC, a required component, is the advisory council
The council is governor appointed
EarlySteps is an interagency delivery system based upon a
family support model
Supports are delivered in the child’s natural environment
Referrals to EarlySteps are processed by the SPOE in each
region (Single Point of Entry)
Each region of the state has a RICC that discusses regional
developments and concerns. Each region has a regional
coordinator (list on SICC website and EarlySteps website)
EarlySteps has a quality assurance plan—all documents and
updates are discussed at quarterly SICC meetings (Jan. April,
July, and Oct.)
Websites
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http://gov.state.la.us/SICC
www.earlysteps.dhh.louisiana.gov/
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EarlySteps Program Manager, Brenda Sharp [email protected]
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SICC Executive Director, Christie Smith [email protected]
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