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What about our Littlest Ones?What about our Littlest Ones?Part C and McKinney-Vento Joining ForcesPart C and McKinney-Vento Joining Forces
NAEHCY 2007NAEHCY 2007
Diana Bowman, National Center for Homeless EducationDiana Bowman, National Center for Homeless EducationPatricia A. Popp, Project HOPE-VirginiaPatricia A. Popp, Project HOPE-Virginia
Evelyn Shaw, National Early Childhood Technical Evelyn Shaw, National Early Childhood Technical Assistance CenterAssistance Center
Goals for TodayGoals for Today
Greater awareness and understanding of:Greater awareness and understanding of:• Challenges that face young children with Challenges that face young children with
disabilities experiencing homeless disabilities experiencing homeless
• Overview of IDEA Part C provisions Overview of IDEA Part C provisions
• Importance of and strategies for collaboration Importance of and strategies for collaboration between IDEA Part C and homeless education between IDEA Part C and homeless education programsprograms
Challenges for young children Challenges for young children who are homeless:who are homeless:
• Inadequate or unstable housingInadequate or unstable housing
• Inconsistent and inadequate health careInconsistent and inadequate health care
• Inadequate nutritionInadequate nutrition
• Adolescent mothersAdolescent mothers
• Disrupted or limited family supportDisrupted or limited family support
• Emotional stress or depressionEmotional stress or depression
• Limited early childhood programming and Limited early childhood programming and waiting listswaiting lists
Challenges for young homeless Challenges for young homeless children with special needs:children with special needs:
Homelessness can have far-reaching Homelessness can have far-reaching negative impacts on a child and negative impacts on a child and compounding impacts on a child with compounding impacts on a child with special needs special needs
• 54% of children in homeless situations 54% of children in homeless situations experience some form of developmental delayexperience some form of developmental delay
• 40% of children living in homeless shelters are 40% of children living in homeless shelters are under the age of fiveunder the age of five
• 15% of young homeless children are enrolled in 15% of young homeless children are enrolled in preschool programspreschool programs
How does IDEA serve young children who are homeless?
Know your 2 parts of IDEA:
• Part B – serves children and youth 3-21• Section 619, Early Childhood Special
Education (ECSE) serves ages 3 to kindergarten
• Part C – Early Intervention (EI) serves infants and toddlers (birth through age 2)
How does IDEA serve young children How does IDEA serve young children who are homeless?who are homeless?
Part CPart C• Comprehensive statewide program of early Comprehensive statewide program of early
intervention services for infants and toddlers intervention services for infants and toddlers 0-2 with disabilities and their families0-2 with disabilities and their families
• Governor designates a lead agency to Governor designates a lead agency to receive the grant and administer the receive the grant and administer the program and appoint and Interagency program and appoint and Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) to advise and Coordinating Council (ICC) to advise and assist the lead agency (requires assist the lead agency (requires representation from homeless education)representation from homeless education)
Who provides services Who provides services under Part C?under Part C?
• Part C services are provided under state Part C services are provided under state supervision through local Part C agencies supervision through local Part C agencies and may include school districts; and may include school districts; educational service centers; local health, educational service centers; local health, developmental disabilities, or mental developmental disabilities, or mental health agencies; and/or private agencieshealth agencies; and/or private agencies
• To find your Part C agency, visit: To find your Part C agency, visit: http://www.nectac.org/contact/ptccoord.asp
Who can receive services Who can receive services under Part C?under Part C?
• Infants and toddlers under age three who need Infants and toddlers under age three who need early intervention services because they are early intervention services because they are experiencing a developmental delay or have a experiencing a developmental delay or have a condition that has a high probability of resulting condition that has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delayin a developmental delay
• States determine the criteria for the definition of States determine the criteria for the definition of developmental delaydevelopmental delay
• States have the option of providing services to States have the option of providing services to infants and toddlers “at risk of developmental infants and toddlers “at risk of developmental delay”delay”
Does Part C provide services to Does Part C provide services to homeless infants and toddlers?homeless infants and toddlers?
• Yes – Part C defines homeless children (same Yes – Part C defines homeless children (same as MV definition) and requires states to assure as MV definition) and requires states to assure that they have adopted a policy that serves all that they have adopted a policy that serves all infants and toddlers with disabilitiesinfants and toddlers with disabilities
• Specifies that infants and toddlers with Specifies that infants and toddlers with disabilities who are homeless must be serveddisabilities who are homeless must be served
• States must adopt policies and procedures to States must adopt policies and procedures to ensure that homeless families and children have ensure that homeless families and children have access to Part C planning and implementationaccess to Part C planning and implementation
• Child find – Lead agencies must identify infants Child find – Lead agencies must identify infants and toddlers with disabilities, including homeless and toddlers with disabilities, including homeless (Part B SEAs must include also in child find)(Part B SEAs must include also in child find)
What services does Part C What services does Part C provide?provide?
Wide range of services in natural environments Wide range of services in natural environments with qualified personnel that are based on needs with qualified personnel that are based on needs and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) such as:such as:
• OT, PT, audiology, etc.OT, PT, audiology, etc.• Family training, counseling, home visitsFamily training, counseling, home visits• Health services necessary to enable an infant or Health services necessary to enable an infant or
toddler to benefit from other early intervention toddler to benefit from other early intervention servicesservices
• Service coordinationService coordination• Transportation and related costs necessary for Transportation and related costs necessary for
an infant or toddler and family to receive other an infant or toddler and family to receive other servicesservices
How can parents request Part C How can parents request Part C services for their child?services for their child?
• A parent can refer their child to a Part C agency A parent can refer their child to a Part C agency for evaluation and assessmentfor evaluation and assessment
• How can Part C programs encourage parents to How can Part C programs encourage parents to seek services?seek services?
• Build cooperative, respectful relationshipsBuild cooperative, respectful relationships• Explain to parents what Part C is and how the Explain to parents what Part C is and how the
evaluation process worksevaluation process works• Talk to parents about developmental milestones for Talk to parents about developmental milestones for
childrenchildren• Connect parents with Parent Training and Information Connect parents with Parent Training and Information
Centers (Centers (http://www.taalliance.org/centers/index.html or 888-248-0822
Can service providers refer a Can service providers refer a family to Part C programs?family to Part C programs?
• Yes. Part C identifies several service providers Yes. Part C identifies several service providers as “primary referral sources” who can refer a as “primary referral sources” who can refer a child for initial screeningchild for initial screening
• If the screening indicates a possible disability, If the screening indicates a possible disability, the Part C program must complete a the Part C program must complete a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluationcomprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation
• Primary referral sources include: schools, Primary referral sources include: schools, shelters, social service agencies, day care shelters, social service agencies, day care providers, child welfare agencies, health providers, child welfare agencies, health agenciesagencies
Can Part C programs expedite the Can Part C programs expedite the evaluation process or provide services evaluation process or provide services
before evaluations are finished?before evaluations are finished?
• YesYes• Part C can expedite evaluation for homeless Part C can expedite evaluation for homeless
childrenchildren• Ask parents about upcoming movesAsk parents about upcoming moves• Ask parents if an evaluation has been initiated at Ask parents if an evaluation has been initiated at
another school or with a provider elsewhereanother school or with a provider elsewhere• Obtain copy of prior evaluation; obtain consentObtain copy of prior evaluation; obtain consent
• Part C services can be provided while Part C services can be provided while completing evaluations (parental consent, completing evaluations (parental consent, service coordinator, interim IFSP)service coordinator, interim IFSP)
How can Part C agencies and school How can Part C agencies and school districts serve homeless infants and districts serve homeless infants and
toddlers better?toddlers better?
• Develop and implement IFSPsDevelop and implement IFSPs• Implement procedures to expedite evaluationsImplement procedures to expedite evaluations• Develop expedited surrogate parent Develop expedited surrogate parent
appointment procedures for children not with appointment procedures for children not with their parentstheir parents
• Ensure that Part C and homeless education staff Ensure that Part C and homeless education staff know one anotherknow one another
• Form an advisory committee for serving Form an advisory committee for serving homeless infants and toddlershomeless infants and toddlers
• Work across districts where homeless families Work across districts where homeless families move back and forth; be familiar with each move back and forth; be familiar with each other’s policies and proceduresother’s policies and procedures
State Coordinators for Homeless Ed. State Coordinators for Homeless Ed. recommend for Part C staffrecommend for Part C staff
• Share contact information and meeting Share contact information and meeting dates and locationdates and location
• On going communication from Part C staff On going communication from Part C staff – keep SC and local staff in the loop– keep SC and local staff in the loop
• Provide the basics – “Part C 101”Provide the basics – “Part C 101”
• Provide guidance on how the law appliesProvide guidance on how the law applies
• Offer assistance to present to SICC, foster Offer assistance to present to SICC, foster sharing among SCssharing among SCs
SC recommendations to SC recommendations to increase effectivenessincrease effectiveness
• AWARENESSAWARENESS
• ED presence (e.g., guidance)ED presence (e.g., guidance)
• Policy briefs, fact sheetsPolicy briefs, fact sheets
• Homeless presentations at EI conferences Homeless presentations at EI conferences and EI presentations at homeless and EI presentations at homeless conferencesconferences
• Clarify why this is importantClarify why this is important
• Sit down and start planningSit down and start planning
Special Education Special Education administrators recommend:administrators recommend:
Homeless ed. staff should: Homeless ed. staff should: • Make themselves known to special education Make themselves known to special education
staff; regular communicationstaff; regular communication• Participate in the ICC (required at the State Participate in the ICC (required at the State
level; many local communities have local ICCs)level; many local communities have local ICCs)• Provide training and refreshers on MV to special Provide training and refreshers on MV to special
education staffeducation staff• Be part of the team that meets initially to discuss Be part of the team that meets initially to discuss
provision of services – everyone is aware of provision of services – everyone is aware of each other’s constraints and responsibilitieseach other’s constraints and responsibilities
All recommend:All recommend:
• Get beyond the notion of figuring out Get beyond the notion of figuring out which program has to serve the children, which program has to serve the children, which law trumps the other, who has to which law trumps the other, who has to paypay
• Focus on child-centered best interest Focus on child-centered best interest decision makingdecision making
• Think outside the boxThink outside the box
IDEA and MV CollaborationIDEA and MV Collaboration
How to put collaboration in place:How to put collaboration in place:1.1. Get to know one anotherGet to know one another
Share fact sheets, mailing lists, present at each Share fact sheets, mailing lists, present at each others staff meetings, contact each other to others staff meetings, contact each other to make best interest determinationsmake best interest determinations
2.2. Take advantage of existing vehicles for Take advantage of existing vehicles for collaboration; create new onescollaboration; create new onesInformal conversations, coordinating councils Informal conversations, coordinating councils and advisory committees, presentations from and advisory committees, presentations from both programs at surrogate parent programs both programs at surrogate parent programs and Parent Training and Information Centers, and Parent Training and Information Centers, ask for support from regional educational ask for support from regional educational centerscenters
IDEA and MV CollaborationIDEA and MV Collaboration
3.3. Establish joint projectsEstablish joint projects• Child find and identification teamChild find and identification team
• Part C staff refer homeless families with school-aged children Part C staff refer homeless families with school-aged children to the local liaison; the liaison refers homeless families with to the local liaison; the liaison refers homeless families with preschool-aged children to Part C preschool-aged children to Part C
• Mobility task forceMobility task force• Special education-homeless education policy academy; Special education-homeless education policy academy; • Joint professional development projects; Joint professional development projects;
• Include information about IDEA Part C and the McKinney-Include information about IDEA Part C and the McKinney-Vento Act in school and program newsletters, handouts, and Vento Act in school and program newsletters, handouts, and flyersflyers
• Public awareness activitiesPublic awareness activities• Develop posters and wallet cards about Part C services for Develop posters and wallet cards about Part C services for
homeless parents at schools, shelters, food banks, health homeless parents at schools, shelters, food banks, health clinics, etc. clinics, etc.
• Hold family-oriented community events with opportunities to Hold family-oriented community events with opportunities to screen infants and toddlers screen infants and toddlers
ResourcesResources
• NECTAC (National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center) NECTAC (National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center) • 919-962-7309919-962-7309• http://www.nectac.org
• NASDSE (NASDSE (www.nasdse.org – pdf available) – pdf available)• Project FORUM (1999 proceedings)Project FORUM (1999 proceedings)• 2004 QTA Brief2004 QTA Brief
• CECCEC• CEC Today – March 2003CEC Today – March 2003• http://www.cec.sped.org/bk/cec_today/http://www.cec.sped.org/bk/cec_today/
• Project HOPE-VA (www.wm.edu/hope)Project HOPE-VA (www.wm.edu/hope)• Information briefs – special ed., ECSEInformation briefs – special ed., ECSE
• NAEHCY, NCHE and NLCHPNAEHCY, NCHE and NLCHP• Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)
of 2004: Provisions for Children and Youth with Disabilities Who of 2004: Provisions for Children and Youth with Disabilities Who Experience HomelessnessExperience Homelessness;; http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/idea.pdf
Contact InformationContact Information:
Diana Bowman, DirectorDiana Bowman, DirectorNational Center for Homeless EducationNational Center for Homeless [email protected]://www.serve.org/nche
Patricia A. Popp, State CoordinatorPatricia A. Popp, State CoordinatorProject HOPE-VirginiaProject [email protected]://www.wm.edu/hope
Evelyn ShawEvelyn ShawNational Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC)[email protected] 919-962-7309919-962-7309http://www.nectac.org
