Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

March 2025



PART C UPDATES

Test your Knowledge with our Poll Feature

Pick your answer and scroll below to find the correct answer and explanation!

2025 Family Survey Schedule

• Flyers begin mailing - 3/3
• Wave 1 begin mailing (those without email addresses). Families will email addresses will be sent an email invitation. - 3/24-4/4
• Wave 2 begin mailing (all non-responding families) - 4/21-5/2
• Calls begin to localities with less than 15 completes - 5/12-5/30

(Multiple email reminders will also be sent after wave 1 and before data collection is cut off).

Strategies for Increasing Survey Response Rates:

• Integrate purpose of survey with other program materials so that families know about it and see value in participating
• Share results of survey back with families
• Use the data to make changes: this shows families the importance and value of their input. 
• Inform parents about who will have access to the results and how the information will be used; ensure confidentiality

Child Find Trends-3/1/2025

States and jurisdictions must actively identify, locate and evaluate children birth to twenty one who may have disabilities or suspected to have disabilities as early as possible. This process is known as child find. There are federal requirements for child find across Part C and Part B, Section 619.

States, jurisdictions, families, and other referral sources will find information about federal requirements under IDEA, information and resources on public awareness and developmental monitoring, effective screening and evaluation and assessment processes (including performing these services remotely).

Additional tools for improving child find are also provided.

Readers will also find useful information on specific disability populations (including child maltreatment and substance abuse).

When reviewing Virginia's data you'll notice the birth - one count continues to be up significantly compared to the same month in 2024, and this is a trend we have seen for the last year or so. The January and February 2025 counts are up 11% compared to those same months in 2024!

The birth - three count often drops from December 1 to January 1 and did so again this year. The larger trend we've seen since June 2024 is that the year-to-year comparison for each month shows the child count decreasing or only slightly increasing (much smaller increases than we had seen in recent years).

The webinar will discuss regulations, decisions that are to be determined locally, program eligibility criteria, as well as tips for how the two systems can collaborate to support families. The webinar is March 19 from 11am-12pm. The webinar will be recorded.  

Presenters:

Dawn Hendricks (Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator, Virginia Department of Education) 

Sarah Moore (Monitoring Consultant Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia, DBHDS) 

Registration: (Please note the registration was created by DOE. Please answer the questions regarding school division and TTAC region to the best of your ability.)

Considerations for a Smooth and Timely Transition from Part C to Part B

You are your child’s first and most important teacher and you help set a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success! In this 5-week online program, families of children with disabilities learn about supporting their child’s early learning and development and preparing them for kindergarten and beyond.

Learn about:

• Parents as first teachers
• Importance of inclusive early education
• Developmental milestones
• Supporting language development and encouraging positive behaviors
• Benefits of Assistive Technology
• Preparing children with disabilities for school
• Early intervention and early childhood special education services



The course begins April 25, 2025 and will be open through May 30, 2025.

Register here

The training will take approximately 7 hours and can be accessed anytime during the 5 week timeframe.

This free program is designed for busy families! Sessions open weekly and are available to view day or night. Participants who complete all sessions receive a certificate of completion.

“Early childhood is a critical time of developmental growth; early learning helps our children develop the skills necessary to be successful in school and life.”

Presented by PEATC in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

As a coach have you ever observed a teacher or early interventionist that seems down or is disengaged with children or families? Have you ever worried about the level of a provider’s stress? Have you been unsure what to say or how to help? Research has demonstrated a link between early childhood teachers’ poor health and mental health and decreased quality to provide high quality care for young children (Esquivel et al., 2016). Additionally, recent studies have identified early childhood teachers are more likely than the general population to have health and mental health challenges. Early interventionists often experience significant work stress related to the emotional toll of working closely with families who are worried about their children, heavy workload, and time constraints. 

Motivational interviewing strategies can help. Join this webinar to hear examples of how motivational interviewing strategies such as asking open ended questions, reflective listening, validating, affirming, offering empathy, and many more can support teachers’ well-being and improve teacher engagement in coaching and with the children in their care. 

Participants attending this webinar will:

• Gain increased knowledge about provider well-being and its impact on children’s social emotional development.
• Identify motivational interviewing skills that can be used in conversations with teachers and interventionists to enhance engagement in coaching and with children
• Explore real life examples related to coaching Pyramid Model practices and strategies that can help.

Certificate Info

Certificate of Attendance: A downloadable certificate is available for recorded webinars. To receive the certificate, you must fill out the evaluation survey. 

How to Access the Survey Live participants: You will receive an email after the webinar with the link to the survey.

Recording viewers: The URL link for the survey will be displayed at the end of the webinar. You will need to type that URL into your internet browser to access the survey and certificate. Note: Type the URL exactly as you see it. URL is CASE SENSITIVE. Once you submit the survey, the certificate will appear. You can then save and/or print your certificate.



PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED?

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

Child development is equal parts fascinating and complex. Expand your understanding of development during these early years with VEIPD’s curated resources on the Child Development and Play topic page.

If you missed the ElevatedEI workshop in January - Supporting Children, Families, and Caregivers with the Pyramid Model Framework - then please check out the recording here. 

Have you registered for the March Talks on Tuesday - Parent-Led Interventions for Feeding Problems? This is Part One of a two-part series. Register here.  

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

Enhanced Card Security Feature Now Available for Virginia’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Customers

Richmond, VA (Feb. 10, 2025) - The Virginia Department of Social Services has launched a new lock and unlock security feature for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program customers to help protect against Electronic Benefit Transfer card theft. 

The rise of Electronic Benefit Transfer card scams across the nation has significantly impacted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program customers, with fraudulent schemes like card skimming and phishing leaving families without the benefits they depend on to purchase food. These scams not only threaten the well-being of vulnerable households but also create uncertainty and stress for those already facing financial challenges. 

Customers can now lock and unlock their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards between uses, helping ensure that only authorized transactions occur when the card is ready to be used. The new feature is easy to access using the ConnectEBT app available for download on both Android and Apple devices. ConnectEBT is the only officially licensed app to service Virginia Electronic Benefit Transfer customers and is managed by Conduent Inc., a private company that provides a range of services to government agencies. Virginia, along with 20 other states, contracts with Conduent to administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other benefits. 

Learn More

POLL ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

How can Service Coordinators and Providers help increase family survey response rates?

a. Remind families the survey will come by mail from ODU or email invitation.

b. Encourage families to complete and explain the purpose and how results are used.

c. Assure families that their responses are anonymous.

d. This is not our responsibility.

e. All responses except “d”.

The correct answer is e.

To learn more about family survey results and family outcomes, watch the recorded webinar Family Outcomes and the Family Survey: Improving Experiences and Outcomes for Families in Early Intervention.

To encourage participation in the survey, share the flyer with the families you serve: Annual Early Intervention Family Survey Coming Soon.

Talk with your local system manager about how family survey results are used in your locality.

• 2024 Analysis of the Virginia Family Survey Data Addressing Part C SPP/APR Indicator No. 4
• 2024 Family Survey Explanation of Results
• 2024 Percent of Respondents by Question – Statewide Results | Local Results ZIP

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Employment Opportunities page on the ITCVA website receives nearly 5,000 visits each year!

Practitioners: Early intervention needs you! Influence the future of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families by putting your skills and expertise to work today! Please visit the Employment Opportunities page on the ITCVA website for links to current job openings.

LSMs and local contracted agencies: Let us help connect you to qualified applicants! Are you a Local System Manager (LSM) or the director of an agency that contracts with one or more local early intervention systems in Virginia? Are you looking to find qualified applicants to fill vacant positions? Please visit our Employment Opportunities page for instructions on how to submit a job posting.



ITCVA DIRECT ACCESS

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.

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

Do you have colleagues who aren’t getting the Monthly Part C Update? Ask them to check their spam folder. If they're still not receiving it, have them email anne.brager@dbhds.virginia.gov.

DMAS RESOURCES