Disability Service Plan

Transcription

1 Disability Service Plan Philosophy: The program is committed to ensuring that high quality, comprehensive services are available to children with disabilities and their families. Program Integration The program has developed and implemented a Disability Service Plan that provides strategies for meeting the special needs of children with disabilities and their parents. All components of Head Start are appropriately involved in the integration of children with disabilities and their parents. These plans are updated annually. Disability procedures and resources are in place that meet or exceed the requirements of the Performance Standards pertaining to services for children with disabilities. The program policies regarding services to children with disabilities include: о Eligibility, Recruitment, Enrollment, Selection and Attendance о Health Services о Early Childhood Development and Education Services о Program Planning о Budgeting о Family and Community Partnerships (Transition, Family Development, Parent Involvement) The disability service plan, as well as other program area plans, presents a systematic approach to developing goals and implementing actions to accomplish these goals. The health services manager meets with the appropriate professionals to ensure that each special service provider is state licensed or certified, or supervised by state qualified personnel. Copies of providers state license or certifications are submitted to the health services manager by September of each year. The disability plan is reviewed and updated annually. This includes contracts and agreements with the appropriate agencies or groups. This plan includes provisions for children and disabilities to be included in the full range of activities and services provided to all Head Start children and modified to meet the needs of child with disabilities. These services include screenings, assessments, evaluations, physical exams, classroom activities, home visits and parent conferences. The Head Start/Early Head Start centers and playgrounds are handicapped accessible. Transportation, equipment and supplies are available to ensure that children with disabilities are included in all learning and play activities. The health services manager is responsible to ensure services to children with disabilities. Contracts and collaborative agreements with the following qualified professionals ensure the federal requirements are met. January

2 Local School Agencies (LEA) Mental Health Professionals Tennessee Early Intervention System (Part C) Speech Pathologists Physical and Occupational Therapists Psychologists Registered Dietitians Adequate funds are included in the funding application budget line items to provide services to children with disabilities. Procedures for timely health screening are provided for all children, including children with disabilities. Procedures are in place for making referral to the local education association (LEA) or other appropriate agencies. Assurance of accessibility of facilities and appropriate special furniture and equipment are provided as needed to ensure children with physical disabilities have access as they grow. Transition Services Tennessee Early Intervention Systems (TEIS) staff develops a transition plan for an Early Head Start child with a diagnosed disability on or near the child s second birthday and a Head Start child with a diagnosed disability transition to kindergarten. The Early Head Start and Head Start staff work with the Tennessee Early Intervention Systems staff, local school systems personnel, and parents to ensure the transition is completed. The Head Start staff are advocates for parents of Early Head Start and Head Start children with disabilities and ensure they are informed of their rights. Early Head Start children are transitioned into Head Start. However, if another placement is found to be more appropriate, an individual plan is developed with the parent, program staff, TEIS and LEA personnel to ensure that the child receives appropriate and timely services in the next setting. Prior to enrolling a child with a severe disability or one who requires specialized services, staff training is conducted. This training allows staff to become familiar with the child s condition and needs, and assures that he or she receives needed and appropriate services. Special Education and Related Services Head Start and Early Head Start staff and classrooms provide an inclusive learning environment with developmentally appropriate activities for children with disabilities. Some of the special education services are provided on-site by LEA state-certified staff, i.e., speech/ language pathologists. This method of providing services enables children to remain in a familiar and safe setting. Each local education agency, mental health center, Tennessee Early Interventions Systems (TEIS) and Head Start develop contracts and agreements that clearly define the mutually agreed upon responsibilities of all partners. The area specialist/center coordinators take the finished and approved contracts and agreements to local special education supervisors, state-certified mental January

3 health professionals, and TEIS coordinators to be reviewed and signed. All signed agreements and contracts are submitted to the health services manager. The program arranges for or procures services, which include, but are not limited to special education and these related services: о Audiology services, i.e., identification of hearing impairment; referral for follow-up medical treatment о Physical therapy, i.e., gross motor development о Occupational therapy, i.e., fine motor activities о Speech or language services including therapy о Psychological services, i.e., evaluations о Transportation for children with disabilities to and from appointments and special services о Assistive technology to meet the objectives of the IEP Children with disabilities may spend part of the program hours or days in Head Start for mainstreaming purposes and part in a specialized program. The program employees individuals that are trained to be disability aides if needed to ensure children with special needs are properly supervised and supported. LEA Partnership Agreements The program has contracts and interagency agreements with the local LEA's (Local Education Agencies) and TEIS (Part C) Agencies within our service area. All efforts are made to develop written contracts and agreements with the LEAs and TEIS (Part C) Agencies. If no agreement can be reached, documentation on the programs behalf is filed showing the effort. Agreements between the program and local school systems ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are identified and addressed. Head Start staff and school personnel work together to plan and provide screenings, evaluations and the type of services that meet the individual needs of each disabled child. Individual Education Plans(IEP)/Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) are written to meet the need of each child s diagnosed disability. Child Find and Enrollment of Children with Disabilities Child Find plans and procedures are designed to reach children and families most in need of Head Start/Early Head Start services. A special emphasis is placed on locating and enrolling children with disabilities. Child Find months for Head Start activities include: Radio, television, newspaper advertisements Door to door recruitment Flyers January

4 All child find activities openly solicit children with severe disabilities. All program staff receives training on child find of children with disabilities. Staff is also instructed that the program services disabled children regardless of the severity of a disabled child s needs. No child is denied services due to the following reasons: The severity of the disability Attitudes or apprehension of staff If a parent wishes to enroll a disabled child and program has been determined as an appropriate placement, an application is taken and processed. The same policies governing Head Start program eligibility for children, such as priority for those most in need of the services, apply to children with disabilities. The grantee has 10% mandated slots for children with disabilities, to include types, services provided by other agencies and state laws regarding immunizations. Assessment of Children All children enrolled in Head Start are screened with the Brigance and Ages and Stages (including children with disabilities) as the first step in the assessment process. Teachers have procedures in place to ensure the assessment is completed in a timely manner. Children who fail screening are further evaluated to determine if a child has a diagnosed disability. Informing Parents Methods for informing parents of the screening process are: о All children in Head Start are screened including children with disabilities. о Teachers and parents discuss the developmental assessment of their child throughout the program year. о Staff must inform parents if their child needs further specialized assessment or evaluation to determine whether they have a disability. о Staff is trained and cautioned at pre-service and other workshops that screenings cannot be used to determine a disability. Developmental Assessments The developmental assessment is an ongoing process which includes the Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment System. The process of the developmental assessment is described in the Early Childhood Development Education Plan. Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment is used for both Head Start and Early Head Start. This assessment collects data in the areas of fine motor, gross motor, communication, problem solving, and personal-social development. Children showing a need for further assessment are referred to January

5 the Local Education Agencies or (TEIS) Tennessee Early Intervention System (Part C) for further evaluation and diagnosis. This is also described in the Early Childhood Development Education Plan. LEA Evaluations Parents are talked to first about the process and procedures for receiving further developmental evaluation on their child. They are given the screening and assessment results, rights of children with disabilities and a choice of denial of services. When a child is suspected of having a disability, the center coordinator, teacher, family advocate and parent meet face-to-face to review and discuss screening information, the results of the developmental assessment and other pertinent documentation, i.e., mental health observation. At this meeting the parent can ask questions and express concerns. If the parent agrees to an evaluation or further testing, the center coordinator will meet with a designated member of the local school system special education staff. The purpose of the meeting is to: о Refer the child о Review the child s records and determine if an evaluation is needed о Schedule an evaluation Evaluation Process The special education supervisor of the local school system makes a determination if the child needs further testing or an evaluation. The center coordinator then takes the following steps: о The parent is contacted again through a center or home visit. о The type of test and its purposes are explained to the parent. о A signed parental consent authorization for testing or evaluation by the local school system is obtained. о The parent receives a copy of his/her rights in relation to special services for their child. Program staff lends assistance to the school system by arranging for appointments for evaluations and times for any classroom observations that may be needed. Transportation to and from appointments is also a part of the support services the program provides to parents. Coordination of Program Area Services The Performance Standards, 1304, mandates that program content areas, managers and staff work in partnership to ensure that all children and families receive required services. Screenings, assessments, referrals for evaluations, mental health observations and IEPs are completed in a timely manner under the directions of the health services manager and with support from other program managers and qualified professionals. January

6 Procedures for conducting screenings and assessments, mental health observations, making referrals and administering medicine to children are included in program procedures. (Reference: Health Services Plan and Procedures; Early Childhood Development Plan and Procedures) Nutrition Services A disabled child may experience problems, which affect his or her nutritional health. The center coordinator, parent, food service coordinator, supervising cook and registered dietitian consultant work closely together to plan ways that the child can participate in meals with his or her peers. This may entail extra staff such as a substitute to assist the child at mealtime or preparing food differently. These nutritional activities become part of the IEP. Parent Participation and Transition Transition plan and procedures provide guidance to parents, children and staff for successful and smooth transition into and from both Head Start and Early Head Start. The following methods are used to accomplish this goal: о Parents are told verbally and given pamphlets showing children with disabilities are welcome in the program during recruitment. о Parents and children tour the classrooms, meet center staff and talk with teachers during Open House/Parent Orientation. о Parents are welcomed and encouraged to observe their child in the classroom. о Center coordinators and LEA's provide written materials for parents on their rights. The good working relationships between local school systems special education supervisor and program staff all but ensure that the transition of disabled children and parents will be successful. The referral process for LEA/TEIS evaluations, developing IEPs/IFSPs and service delivery are critical steps in transitioning children into Head Start or local school systems. Early Head Start records are transferred to Head Start if it s deemed the most appropriate setting. Head Start records are transferred to the school systems upon request with signed parental consent. This sharing of records reduces gaps or delays in service delivery. January