Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia August 2023 Update

Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

August 2023

ITCVA NEWS

Welcome

Robin RiCharde

Local System Manager

ITC of Rockbridge

My name is Robin RiCharde and my background is in special education. Most of my twenty-one years were spent teaching students with intellectual disabilities and autism. However, I also spent a lot of time with students with multiple disabilities. I am originally from Central Florida but have lived in Virginia since 1986. I moved to Virginia because I had a son with Down Syndrome and autism and wanted him to be seen by the fine staff at UVA! My son was killed in a car accident in 1984 at the age of fourteen. I had no other children. This inspired me to go back to school and become certified in Special Education. The rest is history! I am sixty-one years of age and single. Currently I have one dog, Lizzy, the light of my life, and six cats! I won’t bore you with their names! I am very excited and blessed to be a part of the early intervention field.

TRAC-IT Need To Knows

TRAC-IT SUPPORT:

Email: VATRACITSUPPORT@ssg-lic.com

Phone: (804) 508-7229

User Education Hours: SSG held the second of three summer office hours on July 19th, 2023. If you were unable to participate live in either of the first two, you can find the recordings and written Q&As from each here. The final session will be August 22, 2:30 – 3:30, and will include a presentation on common questions to the Support Desk related to the IFSP. If you already registered for a previous session, you are automatically registered for the August 22 session and do not need to re-register. If you have not registered, here is the registration link for the upcoming session.

State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)

ITCVA is committed to supporting the social-emotional needs of children and families. The ultimate goal of the current SSIP is to improve the percentage of infants and toddlers who substantially increase their rate of growth in the area of positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships) by the time they exit early intervention.

Check out meeting minutes for the current workgroups brainstorming sessions for supports, strategies and services.

SSIP Planning in Action

Join us for a 4 Part webinar series to learn the current status of Virginia's efforts to support the social-emotional development of infants, toddlers and their families and what that means to you.

Each 30 minute webinar will cover a different topic including:

SSIP Overview
Pyramid Model Framework
Screening and Assessment Practices
Reflective Supervision

Registration to follow. Please save the following dates:

September 7, 2023 3:00 - 3:30
September 14, 2023 3:00 - 3:30
September 21, 2023 3:00 - 3:30
September 28, 2023 3:00 - 3:30

PROMOTING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

According to Zero to Three 10-16% of young children experience mental health conditions, including PTSD and anxiety. For low-income infants, the rate is above 20%.

The Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence

in Infants and Young Children

Pyramid Model: Did You Know?

Did you know the Pyramid Model isn't a new practice for early intervention in Virginia?

It’s not a practice at all; it's a framework.

We already have worked hard in Virginia to implement core evidence-based practices like functional assessment, coaching and natural learning environment practices. Because of those efforts, implementing the Pyramid Model will really mean thinking about how we use our existing evidence-based practices and available expertise and resources specifically to support positive social-emotional skills for children based on their individual needs. We will be thinking about how we will use those practices when there are no specific social-emotional concerns and we want to promote continued positive social-emotional skills and social relationships. How will that look different when there are some risk factors or minor concerns? And what about when there are more significant concerns?

Pyramid Model Overview

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED?

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

Save the Date:

Talks on Tuesday

September 5/October 3 12-1 pm - Supporting Families through Genetic Diagnosis

RESOURCES

“Learn the Signs. Act Early” Update

The CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” campaign has three children’s books.

To learn more about the books, please visit

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/amazingme.html

Great news!

We have limited copies of Amazing Me! It’s Busy Being Three available for

EI providers across Virginia to share with families!

Local System Managers: Please contact Deana Buck at deanabuck@gmail.com if you would like to order free copies of the books. Limited Supply!

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.

Part Time EI Occupational Therapist / Service Coordinator | Posted 2023-07-14 | LINK
ITC Virginia Beach | EI Service Coordinator Supervisor | Posted 2023-07-13 | LINK
ITC Arlington County | Rehab Therapist | Posted 2023-06-05| LINK
ITC Arlington County | School Health/Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed) | Posted 2023-05-26 | LINK
ITC Richmond | Service Coordinator ** Hybrid Telework ** SIGN-ON BONUS ELIGIBLE ** | LINK
ITC Central Virginia | Service Coordinator | Posted 2023-05-01 | LINK

ITCVA DIRECT ACCESS

INFANT & TODDLER CONNECTION OF VIRGINIA

Looking for the most up-to-date version of the Part C Practice Manual...upcoming meeting dates...or even a new career opportunity? You'll find plenty of helpful information on the Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia's early intervention website! Be sure to visit and bookmark itcva.online.

MEDICAID ENROLLMENTS

If you have questions about enrollments for children with Medicaid please

contact Keisha White at keisha.white@dbhds.virginia.gov.

EARLY INTERVENTION CERTIFICATION

For questions about intial certification of practitioners, contact Anne Brager- 804-664-2462.

For questions about re-certification of practitioners, contact David Mills • 804-317-7776

For questions related to completing the online application, contact VATRACITsupport@ssg-llc.com or from 8AM-5PM ET by calling 804-508-7229.

PART C STAFF DIRECTORY

Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia is part of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

https://www.itcva.online/itcva-staff-1

1220 Bank Street, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1797, Richmond, Virginia 23219-1797

Main Office: (804) 786-3710 • Main Fax: (804) 371-7959

DMAS RESOURCES

DMAS Early Intervention Support

For specific Medicaid questions related to billing and supports for Early Intervention, please use these emails:

M4EarlyIntervention@dmas.virginia.gov:

CCCPlusEarlyIntervention@dmas.virginia.gov

Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

1220 Bank Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 664-2462