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July's
E-Perspective Newsletter
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Northeast Regional Consultation Program (NRCP)
Empowering Families Through Fun
The Northeast Regional Consultation Program at The Professional Center for Child Development hosts 6 to 7 family events each year to help empower families to get out and join in. Having a child with complex health care needs can be difficult and often families feel isolated or apprehensive. During RCP activities families are encouraged to network, develop friendships and share experiences.
The most recent Family Night Out was to Jordan's in Reading and was a great success. 85 people enjoyed "Liquid Fire Works" (fountains of water, lights and sounds dancing to music), an adventure ropes course, ice cream and most of all community.
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Cassidy Riding the Firetruck
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Connor and his Dad, Tim enjoying the Beanstalk
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Sophia and her family smile along with the NRCP Director, Rachel Daniels |
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"We went to Jordan's furniture event and we were happy to bring Sophia to a fun place with lots of things for her to look at. She loved the water with the lights and she had a lot of joy on her face from this. Sophia saw other kids and had a lot of fun. We feel excited when there is something we can bring her to." - Chan
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Regional Consultation Programs (RCPs)
What are RCPs?
A small number of infants and toddlers enrolled in each of the Commonwealth's Early Intervention Programs demonstrate complex and extensive developmental and medical/health needs. Regional Consultation Programs (RCPs), across the state, provide enhanced services to these children and their families.
RCPs in Massachusetts: Thom Boston RCP; RCP: Professional Center for Child Development; RCP: Criterion Child Enrichment; Thom Western RCP; RCP: South Shore Mental Health; RCP: Meeting Street. (Learn more about Regional Consultation Programs at
www.eiplp.org/regional-consultation-programs/
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Early Intervention in Massachusetts
Core Values, Mission Statement & 7 Key Principles
Massachusetts Early Intervention (EI) is a statewide program for infants and toddlers - birth to 3 years old who have developmental delays or are at risk for a developmental delay. EI services, also known as Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are overseen by the MA Department of Public Health. Part of the funding for EI and assurance that services comply with IDEA comes from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) a part of the federal Department of Education. The Massachusetts Part C program reports back to OSEP on how well we are meeting the needs of children and families receiving EI services.
In 2014, the Department of Public Health, Part C Early Intervention system introduced a new EI mission and Key Principles to guide the work of local EI programs.
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Core Values of MA EI
Respect-Recognizing each group of people has its own unique culture, big or small, and honoring the values and ways of each family's neighborhood, community, extended family and individual unit.
Individualization-Tailoring supports and services with each family to its own unique needs and circumstances.
Family-Centeredness-Basing decisions with each family on its own values, priorities, and routines.
Community- Realizing that each family exists in the context of a greater community, and fostering those communities as resources for supports and services.
Team Collaboration-Working as equal partners with each family, and the people and service systems in a family's life.
Life-long Learning-Viewing that early intervention supports and services are a first step on a journey for each child, each family, and each provider.
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The MA EI System Mission Statement
Massachusetts Early Intervention is a viable system that builds upon supports and resources for family members and caregivers to enhance the development and learning of infants and toddlers through individualized, developmentally appropriate intervention embedded in everyday activities.
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The
7 Key Principles
that support the work of Early Intervention in Massachusetts.
1.
Infants and Toddlers develop and learn through meaningful everyday experiences and interactions with familiar people in familiar places.
2.
ALL families with the necessary supports and resources can enhance children's development and learning.
3.
The primary role of the Early Intervention Specialist is to establish relationships and foster equal partnerships with family members and caregivers to enhance development and learning through the IFSP process.
4.
Interventions must be based on developmentally appropriate practice, current research, and appropriate laws and regulations.
5.
The Early Intervention process, from initial contacts through transition, must be collaborative and individualized to reflect the child's and family members' priorities, learning styles and culture.
6.
The service coordinator ensures that the family's priorities, needs and concerns are addressed through the IFSP team, coordinates the IFSP process and facilitates collaboration among all IFSP and community team members.
7.
IFSP outcomes must be functional and based on children and family's needs, family identified priorities, and input from all members of the child's IFSP team.
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"Like" Us on
FaceBook - "Follow" Us on
Twitter
A Sampling of our FaceBook and Twitter posts...
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MEIC 2018
(click below to see photos)
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| Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium Conference |
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#MotivationalMonday
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Resources
Click for link to learn more!
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THE PARENT LEADERSHIP PROJECT
The EI Parent Leadership Project (EIPLP) strives to develop an informed parent constituency, promote leadership and lifelong advocacy skills for parents and family members, facilitate family participation to ensure that Early Intervention Services are family-centered and support EI programs to identify, train and mentor families to take on roles across the EI and Early Childhood system.
The Project is a parent driven endeavor, which continually seeks family
involvement and input regarding the needs of families enrolled in Early Intervention and is staffed by parents whose own children have received EI services. The Project staff consists of a Coordinator of EIPLP
, a
Media
Coordinator
, a Statewide Family Engagement and Collaboration Coordinator, a Statewide Monitoring Coordinator and a Statewide Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator.
To receive the
Parent Perspective Newsletter,
a free publication, published
four
times a year
or the Parent E-Perspective published at least two times a year,
by the Parent Leadership Project, call us toll-free at (877) 353-4757 and ask to be added to the PLP mailing list or email
[email protected].
NEXT DEADLINE
:
We welcome your input and suggestions for resources and articles. The next deadline is
August 30, 2018
.
Please call our
toll-free number (877) 353-4757 or email the newsletter editor at
[email protected]
.
The
Parent Perspective
newsletter is
published
by the Early Intervention Parent Leadership Project, through funding from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
If you would like to be removed from this mailing list, please contact
[email protected].
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