October 3, 2013 - 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. Call to Order 
2. Introduction of Council Members
3. Approval of July 18, 2013- Draft Meeting Report
4. SSIP State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
5. Credential Application and Resources for New Providers
6. Early Intervention Training Update
7. Cornerstone Update  Ann Freiburg
8. Service Delivery Approach Workgroup  Therese Wehman
9. Approval of 2014 Council Meeting Dates
10. Adjournment

Meeting Report

Present

• Karen Berman, IL Early Learning Council Designee
• Gerri Clark, Division of Specialized Care for Children
• Brenda Devito, CFC #6 Manager
• Matthew Grey, IL Department of Public Health
• Margaret Harkness, IL Council on Developmental Disabilities
• Peter Niccum, CFC #20 Manager
• Beatrice Nichols, IICEI Chairperson, Head Start
• Dorelia Rivera Martinez, parent, Elmwood
• Kathy Schrock, Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley
• Betty Elliott and Janene VanBebber for Connie Sims,
• DHS, Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Amy Tarr, Division of Family and Community Services
• Therese Wehman, Elmhurst College
• Amy Zimmerman, Health & Disabilities Advocates

Absent

• J. Diane Adams-Alsberry, CALM, Inc.
• Bob Cammarata, ICG Health Care Services
• Julie Doetsch, IL Department of Healthcare and Family Services
• Mary Petersen, IL Department of Insurance
• Deanna Pratscher, parent, Thornton
• Pam Reising-Rechner, IL State Board of Education
• Gina Ruther, DHS, Bureau of Child Care and Development
• Constance Williams, PhD, DHS/Division of Mental Health
• Susan Tromley, IL Department of Children and Family Services

Introduction of Council Members

Council members introduced themselves.

Approval of July 18, 2013 Meeting Report

The July 18, 2013 Meeting Report was approved as written.

Early Intervention Training Update

Ted Burke provided an update on the Early Intervention Training Program, beginning with the introduction of the program's principle investigator Amy Santos and co-principle investigator Michaelene Ostrosky. (Tweety Yates, co-principle investigator, was not in attendance.) The EI Training Program is now part of University of Illinois, which offers the program new resources to build on and grow. Core staff were identified.

An overview of training activities during the last fiscal year was provided, beginning with various efforts to assess training needs. Other areas that were discussed included:

Needs assessment , with identification of areas of need (supporting the developmental needs of medically complex kids, using assessment information to help plan intervention, planning and embedding strategies in the families routines); and

Responses to agreement with key principles for EI. (Data can be pulled by discipline and areas of the state.)

Upcoming training activities include the following:

State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIP)

Eileen DeRoze reviewed information regarding the OSEP's new emphasis on results driven accountability and requirements and timelines for the development of the SSIP, a comprehensive, multi-year plan that focuses on improving results for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Phase 1 begins with data analysis.

Chelsea Guillen provided an overview of child outcomes and family outcomes, which will be key measures for Illinois' SSIP. She explained how data for child outcomes (children have positive social relationships, children acquired and use knowledge and skills, and children take appropriate action to meet their needs) are condensed in to summary statements and provided state and national data on those statements. Exit data for child outcomes is gathered when a child leaves EI, either at age three or other times.

Chelsea also provided information on family outcomes, which measure the helpfulness of EI in families knowing their rights, effectively communicating their children's needs, and helping their children develop and learn. Illinois' family outcome data for FY12 was presented, along with national data. Details about the survey process and new strategies implemented during the FY13 to improve survey return rates, particularly in under-represented populations, were shared. Data collection differences among states and different ways to look at the data were discussed. Use of the EI video (being developed by the EI Training Program) to improve survey responses and how families will view the video were discussed.

Amy Tarr talked about the Bureau's partnership with the North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) in the data analysis phase of the SSIP. NCRRC will help the Bureau look at what factors impact child and family outcomes in a positive way. Hopefully, data will be available at the next meeting for the council's review and input to improvement planning.

Telehealth Update

Kathy Schrock summarized information shared by two states, New Jersey and New Mexico, and ECTA staff regarding use of telehealth. Efforts have focused on un-served or under-served populations, with both states providing the first service face-to-face and then determining the appropriateness of telehealth. They have used this method with SLP, Audiology, OT, and PT services. Use of technology (Go-To-Meetings by New Jersey) was mentioned. History of the use of telehealth in Utah, Alaska, and South Carolina was shared. Contacts will be made with Colorado, Missouri, and Nevada for additional information.

The Bureau will check into FERPA compliance of Go-To-Meetings and revisit the question of Medicaid reimbursement for services provided via telehealth. Lack of reimbursement by Medicaid is a major challenge, although 10 states currently receive this reimbursement for telehealth. An area of need is interpreters for the deaf.

Credential Application and Resources for New Providers

Rob Derry reviewed the access to credential and enrollment application online, including an auto-fill function. The EI rule pages are being removed from the credential application and will be available via a link. Resources for new providers were described including: video podcasts on completing each application, with scripts available in printable formats; "EI as a Career" and "New to EI" web pages with resources; newsletters, and RSS feed for individuals to receive emails about posted notices. Efforts to make the website more user friendly for people using mobile devices were described. Discussion have been initiated on conducting a survey on what can be done to help providers through the credential and renewal processes.

Early Learning Council (ELC)

Karen Berman noted an increase in EI stakeholder participation in the ELC and recognized the benefits of Amy Tarr's participation. The focus of the Early Learning Challenge grant was described. A part of this work, Innovation Zones, were discussed and the involved community areas identified. Amy Tarr will follow-up with Karen to identify which CFC offices are part of these communities.

Early Learning Council - Special Education Subcommittee

Amy Tarr described the expansion of QRIS to settings beyond child care and the development of a fifth level, the Governor's Award of Excellence, which will support inclusion of children with special needs. EI's participation will help ensure that programs know about EI, have relationships with CFC offices, do screenings and referrals to EI, and understand EI services in natural environments.

Cornerstone Update

Ann Freiburg provided an update on progress toward web access. Steps and timelines for rollout were shared. Initial work does not include access by providers or families, although this can be considered later. A web access system is a step between the current and web-based systems. Work continues on incorporating the entire IFSP document into Cornerstone.

Local Interagency Council Annual Reports

Eileen DeRoze shared information from the FY12 and FY13 LIC annual reports from CFC offices. The summaries provide an overview of the required functions of LICs which are defined in state statute and the CFC Procedure Manual and include:

The reports will be shared with CFC managers. When a Bureau staff position is filled, he/she will help coordinate the LIC function. The Bureau intends to have monthly meetings for LIC coordinators to share strategies. Efforts around child find were discussed. Interest in community collaborations from the ELC and its committees was described. Suggestions for further data analysis were given.

Service Delivery Approaches Workgroup

Therese Wehman and Chelsea Guillen reported on the work of the Service Delivery Approaches Workgroup. A list of workgroup members was provided. Work on the approved tool list is being finalized after a report from an intern who looked at evaluation/assessment tools used by Illinois' larger school districts. One addition to the tool list is being considered. We hope to get the list out to council members before its next meeting.

The workgroup is looking at IFSP implementation and has identified challenges and potential solutions to support teaming, which is the basis of service delivery approaches. Challenges and the vision for service delivery will complete the discussion of IFSP implementation, and then transition will be discussed. The group will move to developing its final set of recommendations. Several audience members shared concerns for the workgroup to consider.

Approval of 2014 Council Meeting Dates

Amy Tarr provided other updates:

Proposes 2014 meeting dates were approved (1/9, 4/3, 7/10, and 10/2). The use of video conference and face-to-face meetings was discussed. The 1/9/14 meeting will be held via video conference. Use of phone conference during face-to-face meetings will be explored. The modality for the remaining meeting dates will be discussed at the 1/9/14 meeting.

The Lead Agency data report was reviewed. In future reports, the data will be updated in line with the fiscal year quarters, rather than using the most recent three months. The Bureau agrees to provide some context to the data. Following questions about EI date, the Bureau will provide information at the next meeting about what data is collected in Cornerstone and how it is shared.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 12:49pm.

Contact Information

If you are interested in more information regarding this council, please contact:

Jenni Grissom
IDHS - Bureau of Early Intervention
823 East Monroe
Springfield, IL  62701
Ph:  217/782-1981

email:  jennifer.grissom@illinois.gov