Infant & Toddler
Connection of Virginia
UPDATE
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Planning for our new SSIP (2022-2028) continues. We have heard from a wide variety of stakeholders through Zoom sessions, surveys and our website pop-up with ideas for strategies to improve positive social-emotional skills, including social relationships, for the infants and toddlers we serve. We heard from about 60 families and at least 75 early intervention professionals.
|
|
|
|
Based on that stakeholder input, we have drafted four broad improvement strategies for our new SSIP:
- Identify and implement initial and ongoing eligibility determination and assessment for service planning practices related to social-emotional development that effectively inform eligibility decisions, the child outcome summary process, IFSP development and service delivery.
- Identify and implement evidence-based service delivery practices to promote positive social-emotional development for all eligible infants and toddlers and provide effective intervention to address delays and concerns.
- Build a sufficient, sustainable and accessible workforce of well-trained practitioners to implement the eligibility determination, assessment for service planning, and service planning and delivery practices identified in strategies 1 and 2.
- Use data to understand who is and is not benefiting from our efforts to improve positive social-emotional skills and social relationships, what accounts for differences and how to promote equitable outcomes.
We will be establishing State Leadership Teams, one for each of these broad improvement strategies, to work with state staff in overseeing development and implementation of that section of the SSIP. Each team will include members representing service coordinators, other service providers, local system managers, families and members of the Virginia Interagency Coordinating Council. We anticipate these teams meeting (virtually) a couple of times over the next 6 months, with other work happening by email. Meeting schedules beyond that will be established by each team. If you’re interested in participating on a State Leadership Team, please contact Kyla Patterson at k.patterson@dbhds.virginia.gov and indicate which one of the four improvement strategies you’re most interested in working to address. |
|
As a community we continue to live our days with a heightened mission of protecting our children from the Covid-19 virus. It has a been a very difficult eighteen months packed with monitoring handwashing, reinforcing good sleep habits, curating virtual school, supervising use of masks, forming safety pods of friends and family to support interaction, monitoring safe play dates, etc. This has really taken quite a toll on the children, parents, mental health professionals, educators, and service providers across the state of Virginia.
|
|
|
While creating protocols to maintain safety for the children there is one tool that is emerging more and more as a concern, your mobile devices. Recently, there has a new term associated with technology intrusion, Technoference. Technoference refers to,” the interruptions in interpersonal communication caused by attention paid to personal technological devices.” (Merriam-Webster Online) As mental health providers, and service providers we must be cognizant of the overuse, or intrusion of technology that could potentially cause relationship intrusion, and negatively impacts children’s social-emotional development and wellness.
What is the potential loss for Infants and children?
- Appropriate attachment with parent or caregiver
- Lack of serve and return opportunities
- Misinterpretation or missed cues from Infant/child from the distracted parent/caregiver
- Physical safety or safe environmental boundaries for the Infant and child
These are just a few of the very important structures that support a well-developed infant or child that are now potentially compromising relationship and growth. Please be aware if this is happening in your personal life, and assess the possibility that this could be happening with the infants/children in your professional role as well.
The following are a few tips to promote positive social-emotional development that you can use or share with parents/caregivers:
- Provide your child with responsive care
- Be affectionate and nurturing
- Make eye contact with your infant/child
- Get on your child’s level to read, sing and play
- Give your child your full attention whenever possible
The attached video demonstrates “Technoference”, and its daily impact on the developing child.
|
|
|
|
As part of our State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP), Virginia is implementing an annual Provider Implementation Survey. The sixth and final annual survey for the current SSIP cycle will be coming to your email inbox on October 25.
|
|
By completing the survey, you will help the Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia:
- Understand how evidence-based practices are being used in Virginia;
- Ensure you have the resources and supports you need to implement these practices; and
- Evaluate our statewide efforts to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers and their families.
This survey is an important component of our SSIP evaluation. Higher provider participation will yield more complete and helpful data for use at the state and local level. The survey generally takes less than 15 minutes to complete. In order to emphasize the value of provider participation in this survey, those who complete the survey will receive ½-hour of professional development credit toward the 30 hours required for renewing your early intervention certification.
All survey responses are confidential and no information that could identify you will be linked to your individual responses or shared publicly or with any directors, supervisors, the local system manager, or other personnel in your local early intervention system or your program/agency.
|
|
October is #RSVAwareness Month |
|
October is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Awareness Month. Did you know?
- RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in babies less than one year old
- RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia
- All babies are at risk for RSV
The National Coalition for Infant Health will share new resources and social media posts throughout the month. We encourage you to share them or create your own and use the hashtag #RSVAwareness.
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
EARLY INTERVENTION CERTIFICATION |
For questions about certification of practitioners, contact David Mills • 804-317-7776
|
|
|
|
Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia is part of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
1220 Bank Street, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1797, Richmond, Virginia 23219-1797
Main Office: (804) 786-3710 • Main Fax: (804) 371-7959
|
|
1220 Bank Street
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 664-2462
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
