January 12, 2012 - Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention

Audience

Open to the general public.

Time

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Locations

Council meetings will be held via Video Conference at the following locations:

Agenda

1. Introduction of Council Members 
2. Approval of October 6, 2011 Draft Meeting Report 
3. Introduction to Division of Family & Community Services 
4. FFY10/SFY11 Annual Performance Report
5. AT Workgroup Recommendations
6. Service Delivery Approaches Workgroup
7. Provider Connections Update
8. EI Training Program Update
9. Remote Therapy
10. Lead Agency Report
11. Adjournment

Meeting Report

ATTENDANCE

Present

• Bob Cammarata, ICG Health Care Services
• Geri Clark Gerri Clark, Division of Specialized Care for Children
• Sheila McCurley, IL Department of Public Health
• Beatrice Nichols, IICEI Chairperson, Head Start
• Pam Reising-Rechner, IL State Board of Education
• Dorelia Rivera Martinez, parent, Elmwood
• Kathy Schrock, Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley
• Connie Sims, DHS, Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Therese Wehman, Elmhurst College

Absent

• J. Diane Adams-Alsberry, CALM, Inc.
• Diane Blythe, parent, Crystal Lake
• Julie Doetsch, IL Dept of Healthcare and Family Services
• Mary Petersen, Department of Insurance
• Deanna Pratscher, parent, Thornton
• David Rubovits, PhD, Jewish Child and Family Services
• Gina Ruther, DHS, Bureau of Child Care and Development
• Sandy Ryan, IL Council on Developmental Disabilities
• Glendean Sisk, Division of Family and Community Services
• Constance Williams, PhD, DHS/Division of Mental Health
• Robin York , IL Department of Children and Family Services

Contents of Council Packet

• Agenda
• Draft Meeting Report - October 6, 2011
• Summary of Annual Performance Report
• Final AT Recommendations and Related Documents
• Provider Connections Update
• EI Training Program Update
• Lead Agency Report - January 12, 2012
• Official 2012 Council Dates

Call to Order

The Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention (IICEI) convened at 10:02 a.m.

Introduction of Council Members

Council members introduced themselves.

Approval of October 6, 2011 Meeting Report

The October 6, 2011 Meeting Report was approved as written.

Introduction of Division of Family and Community Services

Linda Saterfield, Director of the Division of Family and Community Services, talked about the new division, which has combined two divisions within the Department of Human Services, including the Division of Community Health and Prevention, to provide a better, more integrated system of care for families. Ms. Saterfield named each office within the new division and identified the Office of Early Childhood as the area in which the Early Intervention Program is located. Ms. Saterfield provided an overview of her professional experience and welcomed council member input. She responded to questions about filling the position recently vacated with the retirement of Janet Gully by explaining the process. A timeline for completing the hiring process is not known. Council members can contact bureau staff, as needed. Glendean Sisk continues to work with the Bureau of Early Intervention.

FFY10/SFY11 Annual Performance Report (APR)

Eileen DeRoze reviewed the data presented in the FFY10/SFY11 APR, which must be submitted by February 1, 2012. Compliance performance indicators were identified (i.e., timely service, 45-day time line, transition, and Part C monitoring). The targets for these indicators must be set at 100 percent and findings of noncompliance identified when a CFC does not reach these targets. The process of documenting correction of findings was described. Council members had been asked to submit written comments by January 1, 2012. At this meeting, members were invited to make further comments. Bob Cammarata requested to participate in the Outcomes Workgroup. Kathy Schrock suggested looking at the efforts of LICs as part of improvement activities to address participation rates (Indicators 5 and 6).

Assistive Technology (AT) Workgroup Recommendations

Colleen Cunningham described the work of the AT workgroup and reviewed its recommendations, noting that two of the recommendations (12 and 13) were added by the Bureau.

Following the discussion with the IICEI, the bureau will meet to discuss the recommendations and develop timelines for implementation. In brief, the recommendations include:

• A designated AT coordinator at each CFC office
• Use of an Assistive Technology Evaluation/Letter of Necessity form
• Revision of the AT request deadline (i.e., age of child at AT request submission)
• Required training for AT evaluators
• List identifying equipment that will no longer be funded
• Lists of equipment that require/do not require an assessment
• Development of a statewide equipment lending resource list
• Establishment of an ad hoc AT Advisory Committee
• Consideration of tablet devices
• Delivery of equipment to vendors
• Inclusion of AT services in CFC Service Delay Worksheet

Council member commended the workgroup for all of its work, recognizing that the group has met since October 2010 and has been able to discuss and come to consensus regarding a number of complex issues. A concern about the delivery of equipment to independent providers was presented. Suggestions were made that AT vendors require signatures for accepting the equipment and therapists ask families not to open the equipment until the therapist is present. Items that would no longer be covered by EI and their availability to families who cannot afford to purchase them were discussed. It was explained that EI is not part of the (DD) home-based waiver for children. The amount of AT equipment purchased in EI but paid by insurance is not known, as provider reporting on use of insurance is incomplete. Several questions regarding the new form were answered.

Service Delivery Approaches Workgroup Report 

Therese Wehman and Chelsea Guillen provided an update on the Service Delivery Approaches workgroup. The group has discussed the intake process and is currently working on the evaluation process, first identifying challenges and concerns and then defining a vision for the system. As challenges are raised the group returns to the literature on recommended practice. The next process to discuss will be IFSP development. The difficulties of completing system change using conference calls were recognized. A greater push toward productivity is accomplished when the group meets face-to-face. The goal is to come up with a succinct set of recommendations for each process in the system. An update on the progress toward a web-based data system was requested. Therese Wehman announced that Chelsea Guillen has received the Rose C. Engel Award for Excellence in Professional Practice by the Division of Early Childhood.

EI Training Program Update

Ted Burke, Director of the Illinois EI Training Program reviewed its first quarter SFY12 statistics and newsletter. Specifics regarding the following activities were provided:

• Quarterly newsletter, including plans to make archived versions searchable
• Systems and required training sessions, including a new system refresher course that will be rolled out in the next couple of months
• Pediatric-specific training sessions
• Training attendance and evaluation data
• Bilingual interpreter/translator training and testing data
• Certificates for EI credit
• New requirement for sponsoring organizations to request EI credit
• EI Training Program web site
• Training collaborations
• Child and family outcomes activities
• EI ombudsman activities

Council members discussed the current role of parent liaisons and the use of agency (rather than CFC) based parent liaisons.

Remote Therapy

Kathy Schrock introduced a discussion about telehealth, providing basic information about its use and asking Council members if it should be considered for use in EI. Examples of telehealth from other states and countries were shared. Parent participation, technology requirements, trends in use of technology, access to services, and the application of telehealth in medical and home settings, along with concerns about confidentiality and reimbursement for services (Medicaid) were discussed. The creation of a work group was considered. The agreed upon next steps include the Bureau following up with NECTAC and OSEP for information/clarification on the use of telehealth in EI for presentation at the next Council meeting.

Lead Agency Report

Eileen DeRoze reviewed the lead agency report highlighting the retirement of Janet Gully, the status of EI payments, the YEIDS system, Part C regulations, and the posting of the FFY12 EI grant application.

Adjournment

The next meeting date is April 5, 2012, at UCP of Greater Chicago/Tinley Park. The meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m.