Improving Child Find Services in Rural Communities

1

• Improving Child Find Services in Rural
  Communities

2
Overview of DCCP
Why
The Dynamic Community Connections Project was
developed to enhance public awareness and the
referral process for early intervention services
for young children with developmental delays and
disabilities and their families in Montana. 
Nationally Level of Children served leveled off
unexpectedly. Child find was a concern when
Montana went through Part C Federal Monitoring.
3
Part C Requirements for Statewide System
Why
(5) A comprehensive child find system,
consistent with part B, including a system for
making referrals to service providers that
includes timelines and provides for participation
by primary referral sources. (6) A public
awareness program focusing on early
identification of infants and toddlers with
disabilities, including the preparation and
dissemination by the lead agency designated or
established under paragraph (10) to all primary
referral sources, especially hospitals and
physicians, of information for parents on the
availability of early intervention services, and
procedures for determining the extent to which
such sources disseminate such information to
parents of infants and toddlers.
4
Public Awareness Program
Each system must include a public awareness
program that focuses on the early identification
of children who are eligible to receive early
intervention services under this part and
includes the preparation and dissemination by the
lead agency to all primary referral sources,
especially hospitals and physicians, of materials
for parents on the availability or early
intervention services. The public awareness
program must provide for informing the public
about -
5
Public Awareness Program, cont...

• The States Early Intervention (EI) program
• The child find system
• Purpose and scope
• Making referrals
• Gaining access to evaluations and other EI
  services
• The central directory
• Note 1 Effective public awareness programs
• Are a continuous, ongoing effortthroughout the
  stateincluding rural areas.
• Provides for the involvement/communication with,
  major organizations throughout the State that
  have a direct interest
• Reaches the general public.
• Includes a variety of methods for informing the
  public

6
Comprehensive Child Find System

• (1) Each system must include a comprehensive
  child find system that is consistent with part B
  of the Act
• (1) All infants and toddlers in the State who are
  eligible for services under this part are
  identified, located, and evaluated..
• coordinated with all other major efforts to
  locate and identify children conducted by other
  State agencies responsible for the various
  education, health, and social service
  programs,tribes and tribal organizations.
• Programs authorized under Part B
• Maternal and Child Health programs
• Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment
  program
• Developmental Disabilities Assistance
• Head Start
• Supplemental Security Income Program

7
Comprehensive Child Find System, cont

• (d) Referral procedures. (1) The child find
  system must include procedures for use by primary
  referral sources for referring a child to the
  appropriate public agency within the system(2)
  to ensure that referrals are made no more than
  two working days after a child has been
  identified
• (3) Primary Referral Sources include
• Hospitals, including prenatal/postnatal care
  facilities
• Physicians
• Parents
• Day care programs
• Local education agencies
• Public health facilities
• Other social service agencies
• Other health care providers

8
Part B Public Law Regarding Child find
(3) Child Find. (A) All children with
disabilities residing in the State, including
children with disabilities attending private
schools, regardless of the severity of their
disabilities, and who are in need of special
education and related services, are identified,
located, and evaluated and a practical method is
developed and implemented to determine which
children with disabilities are currently
receiving needed special education and related
services. 300.125 Child find. (a)(1)(i) Highly
mobile children with disabilities(such as migrant
and homeless children) ( Native American
population)
9
Foundations Outcomes
What
Key Foundations
Individualized for Local Areas
Rural Areas are Unique
Parents as Partners is Essential
10
Foundations Outcomes
What
Key Outcomes
Increased of children served Increased of
children referred Increased and proportion of
infants (0-1 year) served Increased
collaboration among local health, human services,
education and child care programs
11
Resources Developed
How

• Manual
• Guides Agencies through the process
• Website
• Resource Library
• Survey Results from other States
• Links to useful websites
• Technical Assistance
• On-site visits

12
Local Projects
How

• Quality Life Concepts Hill County
• Vicki Pfieffer Bobbi Bevars
• DEAP Dawson County
• Jim Devine
• Hi-Line Home Programs - Wolf Point
• Terri Sisson

13
HillCo Child Find
Mission Statement
HillCo Child Find would like to increase public
awareness of our services in order to enhance
opportunities for children (birth to three) and
their families. This project is funded with
funds from a grant awarded to the University of
Montana by the U.S. Department of Education, and
any statements herein do not necessarily reflect
the opinion of the above funding source.
14
HillCo Child Find
Outcomes
1. An increased number of children referred to
Early Intervention Services by community referral
resources. 240 Increase 2. An increased number
of children served under Part C Early
Intervention. 13 Increase 3. An increased
number of proportion of infants (birth to one
year) served under Part C. 18 Increase 4.
Increased collaboration linkages and efforts
among local health, human service, education and
child care providers. 100 Increase
15
HillCo Child Find
What we did.
Teamed with Chippewa-Cree Health Services, Child
Care Link, Hill County Health, and two
parents. Gave formal presentations to other
child service providers Provided information and
give-aways at multiple fairs (Health Fairs,
Childrens Festival, County Fair) Newsletter and
local community newspaper articles Posters hung
in community businesses families utilize Magnets
given to daycare providers to pass on to families
16
Our Poster
17
HillCo Child Find
Promotional Items
18
HillCo Child Find
Successes
Met all outcomes in first year and seeing
additional increases in second year!! Team
rapport with strong buy-in in collaboration. Give
-away success Magnets a HUGE success, jar
openers coming in second. These brought
potential referral sources (parents and
professionals) to the booth who may not otherwise
have stopped.
19
HillCo Child Find
In Vain
Mirrors cracked as a promotional item. Only
one really interested in them The guy wanted
two to use to check car parts from underneath his
vehicle.
20
DEAP
Mission Statement The Community Team would like
to increase the general knowledge of the public
about our agencies and the services we provide to
families and to collaborate with each other to
create an across agency child find and referral
process.
21
Current Activities
Radio and TV PSAs Newspaper Advertisement Additi
onal Childfind Early Childhood Intervention
Brochure
DEAP
more
22
Current Activities
Developmental Wheel Newsletter Press
Release Newspaper Press Release Created a Slogan
DEAP
DEAP DIGS KIDS
23
Public Awareness Materials
24
Projects Outcomes
Increase in Referrals Increase in Number of
children served Increase in Number of Infants
served Increase in Referral Sources
more
DEAP DIGS KIDS
25
Projects Outcomes
Collaboration
Medical and Health Care Field Radio and TV
stations Elementary School and Head Start
Parents to Childcare Providers
DEAP DIGS KIDS
26
Child Find Projects National Website

• www.childfindidea.org
• OSEP Directed Child Find Projects
• Links to Child Find and other EI Resources