Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

November 2023

ITCVA NEWS

TRAC-IT Need To Knows


TRAC-IT SUPPORT:

Email: VATRACITSUPPORT@ssg-lic.com

Phone: (804) 508-7229

Upcoming Training Opportunities

As you continue planning for the December 11, 2023 Phase II implementation of TRAC-IT, please note the following training opportunities and save these dates and times:



Training will be conducted virtually. To register, click on the links above. All trainings will be recorded for those who are unable to participate in the live event or wish to refer to the material later.


Please also note that the Sandbox will be updated on the morning of November 13 to reflect the fields that will be required on December 11. This will allow users to become familiar with the system and new requirements and to practice what they learn in the training sessions.


Preparing for Full Implementation:

As we move closer to fully implementing TRAC-IT’s required fields on December 11, 2023, we have identified a few steps you can take now to help ensure TRAC-IT users are set up for success and all enrollments have the necessary datapoints. In addition to attending the training sessions in November, you may wish to use this opportunity to familiarize your team with the upcoming changes and update any Standard Operating Procedures or processes your organization may have to facilitate a smoother transition in December.

User Set-Up Tips: 

  • If providers in your local system are not entering information in TRAC-IT at this time and will be doing so on December 11, 2023, we suggest getting the providers logging into TRAC-IT and getting used to entering information as soon as possible. 
  • If a provider agency will be responsible for directly entering or completing an EHR upload of contact notes into TRAC-IT, the Local System must grant then access to each relevant enrollment using the Add Provider ad hoc task. 


For a more comprehensive list of preparation tips, please see:

https://www.itcva.online/trac-it-emails

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.


To view the most current SSIP:

SSIP-2: The Plan (Updated for 2023)


PROMOTING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Pyramid Model Framework

Understanding Temperament in Infants and Toddlers

A Case Study

Twenty-month-old Laura just began care in Ms. Neil’s family child care home. Ms. Neil is having difficulty integrating Laura into her program. Laura’s schedule is unpredictable—she becomes tired or hungry at different times each day—and she always seems to want to run, climb, and jump on everything. Laura also gets extremely upset when it is time to transition from outdoor play to lunch, or when Ms. Neil interrupts an activity in which Laura is engaged. It is not uncommon for her to tantrum for 10 minutes or more at these times.

What Is Temperament?


A child’s temperament describes the way in which she approaches and reacts to the world. It is their personal “style.” Temperament influences a child’s behavior and the way she interacts with others. While temperament does not clearly define or predict behavior, understanding a child’s temperament can help providers and families better understand how young children react and relate to the world around them. Information about temperament can also guide parents and caregivers to identify children’s strengths and the supports they need to succeed in their relationships and environments.


For Case Study and Research: 

Understanding Temperament


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED?

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

Early Childhood Inclusion: What it Looks Like and Doesn’t Look Like

 

Blog: The Family Gives You a Gift…What Do You Do?


Meaningful Moments Podcast: Connecting IMH to EI

Episode 5: Postpartum OCD with Valerie Abbott

https://youtube.com/shorts/6RMKejr3b5Q?si=ArGtaqllaaKGBHC1



Talks on Tuesday Webinar: Genetic Contributions to the Developmental Journey (Part I & II)

Register Now!


Talks on Tuesday Webinar: It's all Interconnected: Sensory processing and social and emotional development for infants and toddlers (Part I) on November 14th at 12 pm EST.


Save the dates:

Talks on Tuesday Webinar: Real Impacts of Sensory and Social Emotional Regulation: Everyday Experiences That Shape Our Tomorrows (Part II) on December 5th at 12 pm EST.


Resource Pop-Up Webinar: Elevator Speeches: Utilizing for Professional Development on December 6th at 3 pm EST.

RESOURCES

Family Service Coordination ToolKit


Early intervention service coordination is a mandated service under Part C of IDEA and provided at no cost to families. Service coordination is defined as an active, ongoing process that assists and enables families to access services and assures their rights and procedural safeguards.


This toolkit offers both legal and best practice suggestions to support family service coordinators in their work as well as to help families understand the role of family service coordination.

Designed as a case study, this toolkit is a resource for new and experienced service coordinators.


As part of the mission of the Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) (ecpcta.org), the national TA center supported a group of service coordination professionals, including service coordinators, state administrators and state professional development providers, to work together to envision the types of support that might be available to service coordinators across the United States. A result of that work is the position statement developed by The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the Infant Toddler Coordinator Association (ITCA) (2020). (dec-sped.org/position-statements) or (ideainfanttoddler.org/position-statements.php)


This position statement acknowledges the importance of early intervention (EI) family service coordination and recognizes the expertise and needs of the professionals who provide this service. Because of the complex nature of service coordination and the essential role of service coordinators in the EI process (Bruder et al., 2005; Childress, Nichols, & Schnurr, 2019; West, Duggan, Gruss, & Minkovitz, 2018), it is the position of the DEC and ITCA that service coordinators must have the knowledge, skills, administrative support, professional development, and resources they need to provide the highest quality services to children and families.


Within the position statement, the guidance document, Knowledge and Skills for Service Coordinators (KSSC; see Appendix A; Workgroup on Recommended KSSC, 2020) was created. This guidance is designed to support state and local programs to ensure consistency in the hiring and training of service coordinators in early intervention.


Family Service Coordination ToolKit

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 | EI Case Manager | Posted 2023-10-18 | PDF
  • ITC Prince William | Physical Therapist | Posted 2023-10-17 | LINK
  • ITC Prince William | Early Intervention Specialist (SLP/OT/PT/ECSE) Part-Time | Posted 2023-10-17 | LINK
  • ITC Piedmont | Internship | Posted 2023-10-03 | DOCX
  • ITC Fairfax / Benchmark Human Services | PT+ | Posted 2-23-09-18 | LINK
  • | ITC Chesapeake | Clinician II Infant Program | Posted 2023-08-31 | LINK
  • ITC Fairfax | Family Support Worker | Posted 2023-08-30 | PDF
  • ITC Chesapeake | Clinician III Infant Program | Posted 2023-08-28 | LINK
  • SOAR 365 | Private agency serving Richmond-area ITCs | Various OT/PT/SLP Vacancies | LINK
  • ITC Goochland Powhatan | Part Time EI Occupational Therapist / Service Coordinator | Posted 2023-07-27 | 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.

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

1220 Bank Street
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 664-2462