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February 2, 2006
Ruth F. Howell, Ed.D.Maryland School for the Deaf
Columbia, Maryland
The Importance ofInteragency Collaboration
by Early Intervention Programs
In the past 12 months, I have not had a significant financial interest or other relationship with the
manufacturer(s) of the product(s) or provider(s) of the service(s) that will be discussed in my
presentation.
This presentation will (not) include discussion of pharmaceuticals or devices that have not been approved by the FDA or if you will be discussing
unapproved or “off-label” uses of pharmaceuticals or devices.
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The Importance of Interagency Collaboration
by Early Intervention Programs
Ruth F. Howell, Ed.D., DirectorFamily Education/
Early Intervention DepartmentMaryland School for the Deaf
P.O. Box 894, Columbia, MD 21044-0894
FE / EI Snapshot Established in 1968 by the
Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) which has two campuses: Frederick and Columbia
Presently serves more than 80 children between ages of birth to five
Primary Purpose ofthe Program
To establish communication between deaf children and their families
Who Is Eligible? All deaf and hard of hearing
children and their families are eligible
However, the child and the family must be Maryland residents
Program Design Home-based and center-based Includes all 23 Maryland counties
and Baltimore City
Services to Children Special instruction: home- and
school-based Speech therapy: center-based Physical therapy Occupational therapy Ongoing assessments
Services to Children Hearing aid loaner bank
information Cochlear implants / services for
hard of hearing children Children with additional disabilities Referrals to outside resources as
needed
Services to Parents /Extended Family
Home visits: focus on individual needs of each family
Instruction in American Sign Language
Parent rights: IDEA, NCLB, ADA Amplification choices Child development
Services to Parents /Extended Family
Behavior management Access to available resources Early literacy and language
development
Parent / Family Services Parent meetings on campus Regional parent meetings Evening events Extended family: e.g., siblings,
grandparents Child care providers
Networking with Other Agencies
Local Infants and Toddlers programs
Local Health Departments Public and private agencies: e.g.,
DSS Hospitals / audiologists / cochlear
implant centers
Interagency Agreement Process
Developed interagency agreement with Maryland Infants and Toddlers program
Developed interagency agreements with each of the local infants and toddlers programs throughout Maryland
Characteristics of Agreements
Agreements: vary by county are amended as needed define how the local ITP and MSD will
work collaboratively
Characteristics of Agreements
Examples related to: Provision of services Service coordination Reciprocity for referrals Coordinating paperwork such as IFSPs
Characteristics of Agreements
Interagency agreements do NOT require exchange of funds. They are collaborative.
Advantages of Collaboration
Parents take advantage of both state and local services.
Cost effective Low incidence of deafness—
generic early interventionists may not be familiar with deafness.
Cross Trainingfor Service Providers
WMEITC design Western Maryland Early
Intervention Training Consortium Pool resources to bring in trainers
for specific topics. Identify strengths of service
providers; share resources.
Sharing Resources Examples include:
Conducting assessments / sharing results Compensating for the lack of teachers of
the deaf in some local ITPs Trading resources such as foreign
interpreters or sign language interpreters Identifying appropriate service providers to
meet needs of the child and family
Advantages ofSharing Resources
Parents can access a myriad of services.
Parents see deaf / hearing partnerships.
Can combine resources regionally when there is a low incidence of deafness
Families in nearby counties can meet and interact.
Advantages ofSharing Resources
It reduces stress for families. Service providers develop
relationships among agencies. It offers better coordination of
services. It offers additional resources for
families.
Advantages ofSharing Resources
Service providers learn from each other.
It creates an atmosphere of teamwork.
Summary
Interagency collaboration is aWin-Win
situation for families.
