July 23, 2019 Free Leadership Training for Families Receiving EI Services Are you a parent, caregiver, or family member of a young child who receives Early Intervention services in Pennsylvania? Join the Temple University College of Education for Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking Early Intervention (C2P2 EI 2019-20). About C2P2 EI 2019-20 provides free leadership development training for families of children who receive Infant-Toddler Early Intervention or Preschool Early Intervention Services. The training will provide participants with up-to-date information, leadership development training, resources, and skills. Participants learn about the local, state, and national issues that affect children with disabilities. Eligibility To be eligible, applicants should be Pennsylvania family members who: Have a child—infant or school-age—that receives Early Intervention services, Desire to advocate for themselves and others by building leadership skills, and Are willing to commit to all four 2-day trainings. Training Information Training Dates Trainings will be held on Fridays from 1 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. October 11-12, 2019 December 6-7, 2019 March 6-7, 2020 April 3-4, 2020 Location The Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel 4650 Lindle Road Harrisburg, PA 17111 (717) 564.5511 Covered Costs Meals included Travel and child care expense reimbursements Overnight lodging (for those traveling 40+ miles) Application To apply and for more information, visit the event website. The application deadline is September 20, 2019. Questions For questions, contact Cathy Roccia-Meier at 215.204.1772 (voice), 215.204.1805 (TeleTypewriter/TTY), or cathyRM@temple.edu.
May 9, 2019 Historic Increases for Early Learning & Development Programs The House Appropriations Committee recently approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill for FY2020, which outlines funding for early care and learning programs critical to babies’ development. The first three years are a time in development unmatched by any other later point in life. But the recently released State of Babies Yearbook: 2019 reveals troubling early warning signs that too many young children face conditions that place their development – and our future – at risk. About the Bill The bill includes historic increases to key early learning and development programs that can help to reverse this path we have set for our future, including: An increase of $2.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant; $525 million increase in the set-aside for the expansion of Early Head Start, including through EHS-Child Care Partnerships; Doubling of the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grant Program, to a total of $10 million; and An increase of $21.3 million for Part C Early Intervention. By laying the foundation today for 12 million infants and toddlers living in the U.S., we are investing in our society’s future. Learn More To learn more, see Zero to Three’s full statement. *Information provided by Zero to Three
May 3, 2019 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Why It Matters Save the date to join professionals across disciplines to explore the most critical topics related to infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) at this free conference. Continuing Education Credits for a wide range of professionals will be available, including physicians, nurses, home visitors, early and primary educators, and many others. About Breakout sessions will offer behavioral health clinicians, pediatricians, home visitors, early childhood educators, ECMH consultants, family members, child welfare workers, and early intervention providers the opportunity to explore issues related to IECMH most relevant to their field. Keynote sessions will highlight the key themes within IECMH research that are critical for all of the systems that support families with young children. Registration For more information or to register, visit the event’s webpage. For questions, please contact Patrick Webster at 412.667.6701 or websterp2@upmc.edu.
April 15, 2019 Sign-On to Support Families Impacted by Postpartum Depression Understanding the Need Postpartum depression can strike any new mother. Research shows that approximately 15 percent of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. In Pennsylvania, this means about 21,000 infants and moms are affected each year. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that when a mother suffers from postpartum depression, both mothers and babies experience negative effects, including: adverse effects on the baby’s brain and development, increased danger of child abuse and neglect, and increased medical care costs. Will you sign-on to support Pennsylvania’s mothers and infants? What is #StrongMomStrongBaby? #StrongMomStrongBaby is a statewide effort to amend the existing early intervention law (Act 212 of 1990) to add postpartum depression as an at-risk condition allowing infants to undergo assessments, parents to receive assistance in bonding with their babies, and if needed, Early Intervention services to ensure moms and babies have the best start together. To learn more and stay up-to-date, follow the campaign’s Facebook page. Take Action Show your support for Pennsylvania’s mothers and infants by adding your name to the #StrongMomStrongBaby petition.
December 20, 2018 Inclusion Course Series Available on EITA Portal The Early Intervention Technical Assistance Online Learning Portal now features a five-course professional development session on Collaborating for Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood. These courses, designed for professionals working across all Pennsylvania Early Childhood and Early Intervention programs, will lead participants through activities and assignments that support the application of learning directly to the early childhood environment. Courses The Inclusion Course Series consists of the following courses: Working Together This online course provides a framework for successful collaboration to provide quality inclusive opportunities for every child. Focus on Attitudes & Beliefs This online course looks at how our actions are shaped by our attitudes and beliefs, and how societal attitudes and beliefs have shaped service systems. Building Relationships to Support All Children This session focuses on establishing, building, and maintaining positive relationships to support children in inclusive classroom settings. Universal Design for Learning in Early Childhood Settings This session provides early childhood educators with information, insights, and opportunities for practice related to the implementation of universal design in early childhood settings. Individualizing for Meaningful Inclusion Participants will be provided with information, tools, and resources to guide them through the process of making adaptations to the classroom environment, routines, and/or activities that support individuals or groups of children who are experiencing challenges. This session requires the completion of activities in an early childhood classroom environment. Learn More To learn more about each course and register, visit the Professional Development page of the EITA Portal. These courses are listed under the Collaborating for Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood section.
Let’s Chat About Early Language and Literacy The PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) are hosting chat sessions during the winter months to discuss early language and literacy development topics. Join these 30-minute online chat sessions, offered at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., to discover resources to share with families and implement in your classroom or center. These sessions will take place on the second and fourth Friday of every month from January through March 2019. Chat Sessions Disconnecting to Connect | January 11, 2019 Building Vocabulary | January 25, 2019 Storybook Reading | February 8, 2019 Print in the Environment | February 22, 2019 Playing with Sounds | March 8, 2019 Supporting Dual Language Learners | March 22, 2019 More Information Visit their event website to learn more about the topics, credits, and registration. PQAS credit hours and Infant/Toddler hours available.
