Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia September 2022 Update

Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

September 2022 Update

TRAC-IT Need to Knows

Multi-Factor Authentication Change Coming This Fall: We will be moving from multi-factor authentication by email (the code you receive by email and enter into TRAC-IT to complete login) to use of an authenticator app. TRAC-IT will be able to work with any authenticator app preferred or required by your organization/agency. This change is required by DBHDS IT Security to meet new security best practices, and the current target date for implementation is 10/17/22. At that point, an authenticator app will be the only option allowed. There will not be an option to continue using email, nor will authentication via text be allowed. There will be additional information and training coming to help you prepare for this change.

TRAC-IT User Groups: We want to ensure all users have the opportunity to receive communication and provide feedback about TRAC-IT. Around the end of August, all TRAC-IT users will receive an email giving them the opportunity to opt in to various levels/types of TRAC-IT communications and user groups.

Two New Quick Reference Cards: One covers discharge and provides specifics about the steps to discharge a child at various points in the early intervention process. The other addresses re-enrollments and transfers. The information from each of these cards also has been added to the TRAC-IT User Manual. The new Quick Reference Cards and the revised manual are available in the “live” TRAC-IT system and in the Sandbox.

TRAC-IT SUPPORT:

EMAIL: VATRACITsupport@ssg-llc.com
PHONE: (804) 508-7229

2022 Family Survey Results

Results from the annual family survey conducted in the spring of 2022 have been posted to the ITCVA website at https://www.itcva.online/public-reporting. Information posted includes the full technical report of results, a shorter reader-friendly version, and statewide and local response percentages for each survey question. As a state, we showed improvement from last year and met our targets on all three family outcomes! Thank you to local systems and practitioners for all you do to support families.

Documentation Reminder

Length of time for the contact or activity in minutes must be documented on all contact notes. This includes notes from providers and service coordinators. For more information regarding contact note requirements, visit the Infant and Toddler Connection of Practice Manual, Chapter 9, pages 5-7. ITCVA Practice Manual - Chapter 9

WELCOME TO OUR NEW LOCAL SYSTEM MANAGER

Bobbi Silvertein has been named the new

Local System Manager for ITC Hanover.

Bobbi has had many roles in Hanover County across 35 years as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, a developmental specialist, and off and on as a Speech Language Pathologist for all ages. For the last 15 years or so she has served as one of the Speech-Language Pathologist for the Infant Toddler Connection of Hanover. She is stepping into Cory Hall’s role as the LSM for ITC of Hanover County upon Cory’s retirement. Bobbi is the mom to Aaron (27) who lives in Richmond working for the health department and Elana (25) who is in Denver taking advantage of working remotely for a Health consultant firm. When she isn’t working she along with her husband, Evan, enjoy traveling and discovering Richmond’s ever expanding food scene.

RETIREMENT NEWS

The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia (ITCVA) would like to thank Cory Hall for her years of service to Early Intervention. Cory retired from the ITC of Hanover on July 1, 2022. Cory shared that the 18 years she spent working with infants, toddlers and families in Hanover County were the most fulfilling years of her career. She will greatly miss them, along with the talented, compassionate and dedicated staff of the ITC of Hanover. Congratulations on your retirement Cory!

COMMUNITY AWARENESS ACTIVITIES

ITC OF SOUTHSIDE PARTICIPATES IN

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

National Night Out is a community-police awareness-raising event in the United States, held the first Tuesday of August. The event has been held annually since 1984.

This annual event increases awareness about police programs in communities, such as drug prevention, town watch, neighborhood watch, and other anti-crime efforts; as well as increases awareness of community resources.

Southside Behavioral Health, lead agency for ITC of Southside, provided outreach to the communities of Mecklenburg, Halifax and Brunswick counties Virginia, by giving out school supplies to local families during National Night Out on August 2rd. They distributed pencils, notebooks, rulers, etc., to better help children succeed in school. Local youth and their families also participated in our Backpack Raffle to win a backpack full of additional supplies and toys. Between the two locations, 400+ bags of supplies were distributed to local youth and their families.

Thank you to to Southside's early intervention team for providing public awareness and child find efforts on available services for young children and their families in Southside communities.

SUPPORTING POSITIVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS

The Importance of Parent Partnerships in Early Intervention

All Early Interventionists know that September brings additional hustle to every home that has school age children. This sometimes means that the younger child at home is often along for the ride. How can we help parents find balance within the context of their family/work responsibilities while supporting their young child?

Successfully, Early Interventionists focus on ways to connect with parents and caregivers to insure that even in the busiest times for parents the quality of the established goals for the child are reinforced on a continuum. Although Early Intervention has always focused on the importance of social Emotional development, as we move forward with our SSIP, focused on Social and Emotional Development, we will all be looking for ways to implement and strengthen our work in this area. One way for us to make the most progress with the children we serve, is through strengthening our partnerships with parents and caregivers by sharing straightforward tools and strategies to support their child’s development. Below you will find six quick tips that you can share with parent/caregivers to use as a platform for dialogue and for parents to use as an engagement tool with their child.

Birth to age 5:

Gently hold and cuddle your child often.
Respond to your child’s attempts to communicate with you.
Enrich your child’s daily routine (meals, bath time, and nap times) by talking them through each activity.
Take time to follow your child’s lead, Join him/ her in one-on-one play and talk with her about his/her activities whenever possible.
Gently guide your child through social situations.
Be sure your expectations match what your child is socially and emotionally ready to do.

Please refer to Zero to Three for detailed information and additional strategies in supporting children and their caregivers. https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/tips-for-promoting-social-emotional-development/

PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT

HAVE FORGOTTEN

Supporting Social and Emotional Development: What ALL Early Interventionists Can Do!

WHAT DID

YOU MISS?

Creating Connections to Shining Stars 2022 Highlights

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

Kaleidoscope, New Perspectives in Service Coordination

Date: October 11, 2022

Time: 8:00-4:30

Last day to register is 10/1/22 and capacity is 30.

RESOURCES

“Learn the Signs. Act Early”

September 2022

Want to share the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” with your partners at the community level? Great news! The CDC has developed resource primers to share ideas about how LTSAE resources can be used by health care providers and early childhood partners to improve early identification. Please share them with your partners!

Here are links to all of the Primers:

Child Care Development Fund Grantees

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/LTSAE_CCDF_English_New-Graphics-2022-508.pdf

Home Visiting

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/LTSAE_Home-Visiting_New-Graphics-1Pager-508.pdf

Early Care and Education https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/LTSAE_ECE_English-NewGraphics-2022-508.pdf

Head Start/Early Head Start

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/LTSAE_HeadStart_English-New-Graphics-2022-508.pdf

WIC

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/LTSAE-WIC-Primer-English-FINAL_508_New-Graphics-508.pdf

Great News! Deana Buck has been reappointed to serve as the CDC’s Act Early Ambassador to Virginia for 2022-2024. Please contact her if you have any questions about the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” resources. She can be reached at deanabuck@gmail.com or by phone at (804) 405-9064.

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 certification of practitioners, contact David Mills • 804-317-7776

For questions related to completing the online application, contact DBHDS Production Support@cov.virginia.gov

PART C STAFF DIRECTORY

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

Part C Staff Contact Details

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

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

Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

1220 Bank Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 664-2462