1. A Collaboration with Oklahoma State Department of Education
Oklahoma ABLE Tech
A Collaboration with Oklahoma State Department of Education
Early Intervention
Program

2. Key Players Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) – Part C
Lead; Provides oversight; Staffs approximately 1 person/county site
Oklahoma State Department of Health (Contracts with OSDE)
Provides direct services to children birth to age 3
Oklahoma ABLE Tech (Contracts with OSDE)
Provides AT training, technical assistance/consultation, and manages inventory and reporting for AT demonstrations

3. Background Memorandum of Agreement(MOA)Developed in 2005
Need to appropriately assess the AT needs of young children being served by Part C Early Intervention services
ABLE Tech developed low tech AT kits (across a range of AT categories) and disseminated them to 26 regional offices in exchange for AT demonstration data – per the AT Act

4. MOA Developed SoonerStart Responsible for:
Space to house AT assessment kits
Acknowledgement of partnership on marketing materials
Individual demo assessment reports to ABLE Tech by the 5th of each month
Participation in an annual AT inventory report
Submission of four annual AT success stories

5. MOA Developed (cont.) ABLE Tech Responsible for:
Purchase and barcoding of all AT
Assessment Kit use form; quarterly reports to ABLE Tech Advisory Council / annual reports to federal funder
Administration of annual equipment inventory – purchase and barcoding of replacement AT
Provision of Story/Photo Release Form

6. MOA Outcomes Enhanced AT knowledge for some regional teams
Minimal compliance with success story requirement
Slow, gradual increased awareness by state leadership
Minimal buy-in re: AT training opportunities
Little to no implementation of AT purchases with Part C dollars
ABLE Tech continued quarterly meetings – invited SERC to the leadership team – provided distance training opportunities – maintained kits

7. Interagency Agreement Formalized - 2011
In addition to previous components:
ABLE Tech added a quarterly/annual monetary incentive for the purchase of additional AT to the SoonerStart team who
Showed increased efforts in reporting AT demonstrations
Had a range of AT categories demonstrated
Submitted a success story depicting the child utilizing AT
Reported a satisfaction rate of 80% or better
Reported an outcome performance decision rate of 85% or better

8. Interagency Agreement (cont.)
Immediate increase in annual number of demos reported to ABLE Tech – creative, easier reporting options developed
Additionally, ABLE Tech had enhanced opportunities for:
Increased training with SoonerStart teams
Outreach & Marketing – brochures, monthly newsletters
Revisions to SoonerStart AT Technical Assistance document and other supporting documents
SoonerStart becomes responsible for replacement inventory if an item is lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair

9. Contract Formalized
ABLE Tech continues all previous components – AND
Integral involvement with OK State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) for Part C – Early Literacy
Participate as a member of the improvement strategy leadership team
Provide training to SoonerStart personnel on the use and benefits of AT
Provide consultation service to SoonerStart personnel & families
Assist and advise on general AT-related activities

10. Questions?
Contact Information: Linda Jaco Oklahoma ABLE Tech Phone:

11. NYS Justice Center TRAID Program A Collaboration with NYS Department of Health Early Intervention Program

12. Background Formal agreement developed in 1996
Need to get devices to children timely, avoiding bureaucratic delays
TRAID received an initial $100,000 to purchase devices for Regional TRAID Centers for loan inventory
EI staff and families were finding that by the time the devices were ordered through the counties’ purchasing system and received by the child, the child had outgrown the device(s) either physically or developmentally.
With consultation from the EI staff TRAID purchased a set inventory for all the 12 loan programs to begin marketing to county EI staff and families.

13. Background (con’t) Formal Agreement Developed
Memorandum Of Understanding provided $200,000/per year for 12 TRAID centers
Allocation based on number of EI eligible children in each region
Each region received a minimum of $ Areas such as NYC and Long Island received the majority of funding due to the concentration of EI eligible in these areas.

14. Regional TRAID Center Responsibilities under the MOU agreement
Device demonstrations
Device loans
Outreach and awareness trainings
The centers began separate tracking for EI

15. TRAID Central Office Responsibilities
Develop a uniform cleaning policy
for EI devices
Provide a Quarterly Report to NYS DOH EI
Invite DOH EI liaison staff to semi-annual Regional Center Directors’ meetings

16. NYS TRAID and NYS DOH EI Process
The service coordinators (SC) receive the request for the Assistive Technology Device (ATD)
If the IFSP team agrees the device will assist the child the ATD is placed on the IFSP
The SC/EIO/treating therapist will attempt to obtain the device from the Regional TRAID Center

17. Process (con’t.)
 If the device is available through the loan program, the SC/EIO/treating therapist will assist the family on how obtain the device
If the short term loan available through TRAID Centers does not meet the child’s long term need, the SC will pursue the request process simultaneously

18. Barriers Encountered
Initially, the Early Intervention Officials did not see the value of AT and the TRAID/EI agreement
Due to a reduction in funding at the federal level, in 2008 DOH EI reduced funding from $200,000 to $100,000
Frequent staff turnover at county EI programs
Therapists and service coordinators loan devices from family to family

19. Documentation = Success!
NYS DOH EI Program staff value the outcome data provided on a quarterly and annual basis
Narrative information is important too- systemic and individual

20. Questions?
Contact Information: Lisa Rosano-Kaczkowski NYS TRAID Program Phone:

21. Colorado Early Intervention Program: Tech for Tykes
Maureen Melonis, Director
Colorado Assistive Technology Act Program
Assistive Technology Partners
Three State AT Act Programs have forged innovative agreements with IDEA Part C agencies to provide coordinated AT services for Early Intervention programs serving infants and toddlers ages 0 -3.  This panel will provide information regarding both the barriers and highlights associated with such Part C AT agreements. This session is intended to serve as a springboard for the replication of Part C AT initiatives in other ST Act Programs.

22. History of Colorado EI Initiative
Started with a survey of needs
Created in 2004 through a contract – Dept. of Education
Approximately $25,000/year from
Goal: Increase the capacity of AT services in Early Intervention in CO
Created (30) statewide positions
Provided loan bank, training, web site & TA
Capitalized on strengths
Expanded Loan bank

23. Changes with time… In 2008, part C services moved to HHS
Funding varied from year to year
ARRA Funding
Increased trained providers, 50 new consultants,
AT in loan bank increased by $20,000,
Increased public awareness, TA, etc.
Significantly reduced contract 2012 – 2014
2014/15 – requests/support went back up

24. Challenges we have faced
Attrition of consultants, unable to sustain and support providers from central office
Varied state funding, opportunities & challenges
Consultants providing AT only to their caseload
Narrow window of opportunity; family acceptance
Not enough providers
Challenges with the loan bank
Need for knowledge and support
Population growth taxing the system

25. Overarching goal
Establish a sustainable infrastructure in early intervention that supports early, consistent and effective implementation of AT services in the state of Colorado.

26. New plan… Control/Ownership shift & buy in
Local control to respond to demand
Just in time web based training
Marketing and communications
Help sustain infrastructure
Understanding role of consultant
Incentive for consultants

27. EI AT consultant guidelines
Be available, respond to a request within a week
Act as a point of entry for loan bank
Communicate locally
Communicate with state
Access ongoing training and support
Negotiate higher rate for AT services

28. If you build it they will come!
KNOWLEDGE / AWARENESS
CONSULTANT ROLE
CONSULTANT INCENTIVES
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE / RESOURCES
DEMAND FOR AT SERVICES
If you build it they will come!