Congratulations to the graduates of Co hort 4 Early Intervention Professionals Specialist Program.  This year long programs is a personnel preparation grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).  The focus of the program is aimed to increase the number of qualified personnel across disciplines who currently provide services in the Connecticut Birth to Three (IDEA Part C) system.

The students participating in the coursework attend monthly face-to-face community of practice held at the CT UCEDD, three sequential graduate level courses: Family-Centered Practices, Evaluation and Assessment, and Intervention Strategies  and completed 19 practicum based competencies.

A Communication Aid for Emergency Personnel

The UConn UCEDD center staff through a collaboration with the CT Council on Development Disabilities developed a flipbook for emergency personnel which supports people with unique access or functional needs.  UConn UCEDD staff and CT LEND students further enhanced this tool by creating a communication aid for emergency personnel. This communication aid enhances communication between first responders and children and adults with disabilities during an emergency. Through this work, firefighters, police officers, active members of ambulance services, emergency mobile psychiatric services personnel, and mental health crisis intervention services personnel are able to better meet the needs of a child, youth, or adult with disabilities when verbal communication might be hindered. Included are techniques for serving and interacting with those with autism spectrum disorder, cognitive impairment, and nonverbal learning disorders.  The bill requires emergency personnel to carry this communication aid in their vehicles beginning in January 2020.

This communication aid has been produced to meet the requirements of CT P.A. 19-147 and funded by The University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities through cooperative agreement #90DDUC0071-01-00 with the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Materials and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or the Department of Health and Human Service's position or policy.

For more information please contact :

Heather Petit

Administrative Manager

hpetit@uchc.edu

Join us for an interactive panel presentation with guest speakers who have disabilities.

Date: Monday, December 2, 2019

Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Location: UConn Health Rotunda

Sponsored By:

The UConn Disabilities Interest Group, UConn Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), and the Connecticut Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (CT LEND).

Please register for this panel presentation at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/InOurShoesDec2

Drs. Ann and Rud Turnbull from the Beach Center on Disabilities at the University of Kansas presented at a recent CT LEND seminar. Drs. Ann and Rud Turnbull are national leaders on disability issues and spoke with LEND students about family quality of life as a critical outcome of early education and on the core competencies of disability policy, organizing principles, and the principle of dignity. We are so grateful for their time, expertise, and enrichment of our LEND program.

Connecticut Partners in Policymaking 2020

A Leadership Training Program

Information, Training Schedule and Application 

APPLY TODAY!

Space is limited.

Deadline for Applications: Monday, December 16, 2019

Requirements of the program will be individualized based on previous experience, education degree (Master’s/Bachelor’s) and current role in early intervention. The goal of these Master’s level courses is to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals currently working in the field of early intervention.