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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'The Maine Model...Collaboration leads to one statewide system of Early Intervention' Track: 4 - Early Intervention Keyword(s): early intervention, family-centered, collaboration, statewide system, Maine Learning Objectives: To gain an understanding of how to create one seamless, evidenced based early intervention system for statewide services. To gain an understanding of how to craft a Memo of Understanding between two statewide agencies to create one system for early intervention for infants and toddlers who are deaf and hard of hearing. To gain an understanding of the resulting landscape for children and families in Maine and other states when a collaborative approach to developing one statewide early intervention system occurs. Abstract: Maine Child Development Services, the lead agency for early intervention in the state of Maine, and The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have entered into a partnership to ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing, birth to age three, receive family-centered, evidence-based services for deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers through the existing early intervention system. Prior to the development of a Memorandum of Understanding, both agencies provided services to this population. However, services and collaboration were often inconsistent across the state, occasionally ran parallel to one another and, in some cases, provided a duplication of services. The MOU served to integrate those services, to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each agency and to ensure that children who are D/HH and their families have access to the expertise of a multidisciplinary early intervention team. As a result, MECDHH teachers of the deaf and speech language pathologists on the Early Childhood and Family Services team, are able to provide support to and share their expertise with their local early intervention teams, families and children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Together, these two agencies are working to provide current, evidence-based services, within children’s natural environments, using a primary service provider approach, parent coaching and the embedding of intervention strategies in children’s daily activities. Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available CART: CART Transcription is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
Karen Hopkins - Primary Presenter,POC The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing      Credentials: M.Ed.CAGS       Karen Hopkins is the Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Services at The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Karen coordinates early intervention services for children birth through age five throughoutt the state of Maine, which includes The Parent Infant Toddler Program, and the Bilingual Bimodal Preschool Program at MECDHH. She serves on the Maine Hands & Voices Board, the Maine Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Board and Maine's Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, and has served on the National EHDI meeting planning committe and the National Deaf Mentor Program Committee with NCHAM.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Roy Fowler - Co-Presenter Child Development Services      Credentials: M.Ed       Roy has more than 20 years of experience working with young children with special needs. He has held a variety of positions over the course of his career including educational aide, classroom teacher, consultant, early intervention specialist, program manager, site director and state technical advisor. His work experience has taken him from inner-city Cleveland, to rural Ohio, to Germany, to England and, finally to Maine. Over the course of his career, Roy has developed a strong foundational knowledge of systems functioning, as well as experience in providing evidence-based services to young children and their families. Most recently, he has helped to spearhead the implementation of Dr. Robin McWilliam’s Routines-Based Early Intervention Model and the Early Start Denver Model throughout Maine.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.