Transcript SpecialQuest Community Team

Quest for Inclusion
Collaborative Partnerships to Enhance
Services for Children with Disabilities
and their Families
• Welcome and introductions
• SpecialQuest history
• www.specialquest.org
• SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library
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NM State Leadership Team
Partners
NM Head Start Collaboration Office
NM Public Education Department , Special Education Bureau
NM Department of Health, Family Infant Toddler Program
NM Children, Youth and Families Department, Office of Child Development
NM Early Childhood Higher Education Task Force
UNM/Center for Development and Disability
Parents Reaching Out (PRO)
Education for Parents of Indian Children with Special Needs (EPICS)
NM SpecialQuest Community Graduates: Alamo Navajo Early Childhood Center
and La Clinica de Familia Early Head Start
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
NM Association for the Education of Young Children
NM Governor's Commission on Disability
NM School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
NM School for the Deaf
NM SpecialQuest Vision
• All families of young children (birth through five) receive
quality supports, services, and systems of care that are
accessible to all groups, respectful of individual and family
choice, child and family centered, culturally competent and
within community-based systems, which work together to
enhance positive outcomes for families and children in
New Mexico.
Working Together to Impact
Policy & Funding
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Crosswalk regulations
RFP requiring inclusive practices
Clarify responsibilities on Indian land
SpecialQuest in Governor’s initiatives
Working Together to
Coordinate
Training on Inclusion
• Inventory NM resources on inclusion
• Brochure
• Develop & provide training at local, state & national levels
La Clínica de Familia
SpecialQuest Team
SpecialQuest Birth-Five
Community Team Meeting
August 5, 2008
The following agencies were represented:
• La Clínica de Familia Early • Las Cruces Public Schools
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Head Start
Tresco TOTS
Aprendamos Intervention
Team
MECA Therapies LLC
Dona Ana County Head
Start
HELP New Mexico, Inc.
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Head Start
Las Cruces Public Schools DD
Pre-School
SpecialQuest Graduate
Judi Lujan
Parents Reaching Out
La Vida Institute
La Clínica de Familia Healthy
Start
OVERVIEW OF “COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS
OF INCLUSIVE PRACTICES”
Including Children Birth-Five with
Disabilities,
Involving Families of Young Children with
Disabilities,
Providing Integrated Services to Infants,
Toddlers and Preschoolers with
Disabilities, and
Supporting Implementation and
Sustainability.
Phase 1
Strengths as a Community
• Value families as partners and decision
makers
• Transition Teams in place
• Agencies working together toward a
common goal
Phase 1
“Cause to Pause”
• Team recognized the need for a unified
effort to increase inclusive practices in our
community.
• Team recognized the need to formalize a
community plan within Dona Ana County.
• Team recognized the need to involve key
players in Dona Ana County.
SpecialQuest Birth-Five Las Cruces Community
Team Meeting November 18, 2008
Action Plan Ideas
• Create a Vision Statement
• Learn more about each other’s programs
• Learn more about SpecialQuest resources
• Strengthen our SpecialQuest team
• Collaborate for future funding/grant
opportunities
Action Plan Ideas
Increase participation on SpecialQuest
team:
• Families
• New Mexico State University
Professors
• Gadsden Independent School District
• Hatch Municipal Schools
Action Plan Ideas
Enhance Collaboration:
• Training on Inclusive practices
• Training on Early Childhood topics
• Shared list serve for SpecialQuest
Community Team
Vision Statement
All children in Doña Ana County, age birth
to five, have access to inclusive
educational and social environments.
Our mission is to establish meaningful
partnerships to enhance and integrate
systems with access to a broad range of
services.
Creating Bright Futures
Video Title
Guided Viewing: In Concert
• How did they identify partners and build relationships?
• What strategies did they use to gather & share information?
• How did they work together to develop & coordinate plans?
• How did they implement plans?
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title
• Begin bullet text here
What Can You Do to
Support Inclusive
Practices?
Together We’re Better!
Join the QUEST!