Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

November 2022 Update

Welcome to Kyla Patterson as she starts her new role as Early Intervention Program Manager!

Kyla has been part of Virginia’s early intervention system for thirty years. She has experience in an inpatient hospital setting, screening and referring children to community early intervention programs, and working in an early intervention program as a service coordinator and a developmental services provider.  

Since 2001, Kyla has worked in the state office as a technical assistance consultant, policy consultant and team leader. Kyla brings this experience to her new role as Program Manager. Kyla will be focused on the continued implementation of the new data system, the state improvement plan and continuing the excellence of Virginia’s Early Intervention program. 

Congratulations Kyla! 

TRAC-IT NEED TO KNOWS

"What's up!" with TRAC-IT

April Birchfield, Local System Manager of ITC of Central Virginia and Tammy Slade, Administrative Assistant of ITC of Central Virginia joined Dee Holland-Brock, Local System Manager of ITC of Southside and her team of Service Coordinators for a day of TRAC-IT Training, Tips and Tidbits. 

October's TRAC-IT Feedback from the Field:

• "I am just writing to say how much our team is enjoying TRAC-IT. We are fully engaged and full steam ahead. For the last 2 months or so, the service coordinators and I have been completing tasks and uploading IFSP information. This week, I have asked therapy providers on the ASP teams to start using and completing their summary information. All positive feedback received. Thank you for encouraging us to move forward!"
• "My staff seem to be warming up to TRAC-IT..."
• and one from a service coordinator: "I do not miss {our local EHR}, especially page 7 {of the IFSP}!" 
• "We are very excited about the offline capabilities since loss of connectivity in the field is often a problem"
• "We are already seeing TRAC-IT as a time saver. We are sending providers and SC's TRAC-IT numbers rather than the hours it took to print and send paper records."
• "Our providers are excited and we hope to start getting notes in TRAC-IT January 1^st."
• "Our TRAC-IT training went well and providers are excited about how TRAC-IT will streamline their work and are looking forward to putting notes in TRAC-IT. Our training covered how to look up children, how to find what they would need including billing information and how to enter notes directly or by uploading notes. Some asked if they could start entering notes now ahead of the local deadline in November."

SUPPORTING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS

The SSIP workgroup is meeting regularly to address Broad Improvement Strategies one and two. We are discussing social-emotional screening and assessment tools, screening and assessment practices and implementation of the pyramid model. To see our meeting notes, visit: https://www.itcva.online/ssip.

Fostering Social Emotional Literacy in Young Children

The more our Early Intervention and Educational systems intersect with Neuroscience the more we learn how critically important social and emotional development is for our youngest children. This means it is just as important that as educator’s we recognize that supporting parents in understanding what this component of development looks like for young children as they are growing. Parents and caregivers who are already eligible and receiving services for their child through early intervention services often enroll in our programs with both complex needs and stress.

Our goal as Local System Managers, Service Coordinator’s and early interventionists is to support and educate the family throughout their journey to prepare them for the next educational setting. Many times, specialty services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and Speech-Language therapy are very specific and concrete services for the child, this can sometimes be more straightforward and easier to follow during the time between visits, but what about the Behavioral guidance? Children with complex needs are often extremely busy with the scheduled visits and extremely exhausted. This activity can lead children to become tired, frustrated, confused, and unwilling to collaborate with parents. Although this is totally understandable from the practitioner’s viewpoint this can be another area for strengthening growth for our children and families.

Supporting parents through the navigation of difficult emotions with a child highlights the importance of Emotional Literacy of their child allowing their child to grow through the cycle of “rupture and repair”, this allows children to learn that they can express strong emotions such as sadness, anger, fear while dysregulated and follow through with coaching from the parent/caregiver to regulation. These are the cycles that allow our children overtime to build skills in resiliency and regulation. 

Below are additional resources on Emotional Literacy:

https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/the-brain-architects-podcast-serve-and-return-supporting-the-foundation/

https://www.janetlansbury.com/2012/12/no-angry-kids-fostering-emotional-literacy-in-our-children/

PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT

HAVE FORGOTTEN

Developmental Services in Early Intervention

WHAT DID

YOU MISS?

How Every Child Can

Thrive by Five 

• October ToT - Equity in EI Part 1: Looking Inward

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

• SC Chat - Blunt Discussions that Lead to Positive and Powerful Conversations

• November ToT - Equity in EI - Part II



EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Local early intervention system managers (LSMs) or their designees, or directors of programs that contract with one or more local early intervention systems in Virginia, are invited to submit employment opportunities for posting.

• ITC Blue Ridge | Early Intervention Case Manager-Bilingual | Posted 2022-10-21 | LINK
• ITC Crater | EI Program Manager | Posted 2022-10-19 | LINK
• ITC Loudoun County | EI Program Manager: Assessment Services |Posted 2022-09-07 | LINK
• ITC New River Valley | EI Service Coordinator | Posted 2022-08-22 | LINK