Champions Newsletter

newsletter created for: youremail@youremailaddress.com	May 09, 2005


Unsubscribe from Newsletter \| Subscribe to Newsletter \| Forward to a Friend

Defining a System of Care for CYSHCN: Issue Brief #1 In 2004, the Champions for Progress Center hosted a series of Multi-State meetings. The state CSHCN teams that attended the meetings discussed and reported on what helped them improve their system of care for CYSHCN; These strategies, tools, and resources have been compiled in Issue Brief #1. There is an outline of a four-step model for building community-based systems of care. There are also discussion questions for state and community teams to facilitate information sharing and relationship building; there is also a list of web links and resources. Defining a System of Care for CYSHCN: Issue Brief #1 Two National Transition Events from OSERS A message from John H. Hager, assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS): "Since my arrival at OSERS, one of our areas of focus has been transition - from high school to postsecondary studies and to employment - for students with disabilities. All students deserve an education that gives them the tools they will need as young adults to fully participate in their communities. Today's "knowledge economy" requires that we prepare students to be competitive in the workforce and to help them acquire the critical thinking skills sought by most employers. Toward that end, during the week of June 13, 2005, OSERS' Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) are collaborating to sponsor two events related to the transition of youths with disabilities. Both events will be held at the Capital Hilton Hotel, 1001 16th Street, N.W., in Washington, D.C." June 14-15 - National Leadership Summit: OSEP has directed one of its grantees, the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), to conduct the National Leadership Summit on June 14-15, in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services; the Social Security Administration; and other federal agencies and national organizations. The summit will bring together federal agencies in an event that meets their unique cross-agency collaboration goals. It also offers a forum for state-level teams of policy-makers to share successful strategies, foster partnerships and promote effective evidence-based practices that lead to successful outcomes for youths. State leadership teams are organized by each state's director of Special Education, and team membership is aligned to identify the needs of each state. Visit http://www.ncset.org/summit05/ for state leadership team registration and to learn more about the summit. June 16-17 - National Rehabilitation Transition Conference: RSA will hold the National Rehabilitation Transition Conference, From Roots to Wings: Guiding Youth With Disabilities to Employment on June 16-17. The conference will provide two levels of learning experiences. The first tier will concentrate on improving direct services for youths with disabilities by presenting the techniques and successful practices used by frontline transition service providers. The second tier will aim to help vocational rehabilitation and special education administrators discover model methods of administration proven effective in improving service delivery and increasing successful employment outcomes for youths with disabilities. There is no conference registration fee, but registration is required by May 25, 2005. Visit http://www.dtiassociates.com/rsatransitions/ to register for the conference. Connecticut Lawmakers Consider Proposal to Expand Medicaid Waiver Program for Special Needs Children Connecticut lawmakers are considering a proposal to allocate an additional $2 million to a state Medicaid program that provides care to children with developmental disabilities and other special needs, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. Under the program, families with annual incomes higher than the Medicaid eligibility limit can receive help with the cost of health care for their special needs children. Connecticut has the ability to help up to 200 families under the program. However, because of constraints in the state budget, only 125 families currently are enrolled and another 238 are on a waiting list. For more information and the entire policy report visit the Kaiser Network website at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29646 Profitability Period for Managed Care Plans Might Be Ending, Analysts Say The New York Times on Wednesday April 27th, 2005, in an article titled "The Prosperity of Managed Care Plans May Be Tapering Off" (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/27/business/27place.html [requires free NYT.com registration]) examined the potential "trouble ahead" for managed care companies as "further declines in manufacturing jobs and a spotty economic recovery have braked increases in enrollment." More information including the entire policy report is available online at the Kaiser Network: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=29640 Reviewers and Comments Wanted on Proposed Priority on Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs On Monday, April 18th NIDRR published in the Federal Register a proposed priority on children with disabilities and special health care needs. Comments on the proposed priority are invited, and must be received on or before May 18, 2005. Persons interested in participating as peer reviewers for this application can contact Bonnie L. Gracer (email: bonnie.gracer@ed.gov; phone: (202) 245-7358; fax: (202) 245-7323) and should send a copy of their CV. To review this proposed priority, go to: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/proprule/2005-2/041805a.html Building a Model System of Developmental Services in Orange County: Reports from the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities Although not directly focused on CSHCN, the following reports from the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities may be of interest to CSHCN Programs in their role of promoting early intervention services and building links between the early intervention, education, and health care systems. The UCLA Center has developed a series of documents on Building a Model System of Developmental Services in Orange County. These and other resources are available at the Center website (http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu). If you have any questions, you can contact Thomas Rice at ThomasRice@mednet.ucla.edu or 310-794-0907. Building Community Systems for Young Children: Early Childhood Education, #11: This report from the National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy discusses the importance of quality early care and education programs, current funding sources, and potential roles for ECE providers with regard to developmental services, general health needs, inclusion of children with special health care needs, and mental and behavioral health. The report presents policy goals and potential strategies for State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems initiative planning. http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/Publications/Documents/ECEFINALforpublication.pdf Social-Emotional Development and Infant Mental Health in Early Childhood Systems, #12: This executive summary of a new report from the National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy introduces the field of social and emotional development in young children and infants, presents a model of a broad system of care, and offers policy recommendations for the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems initiative. http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/Publications/Documents/IMH%20executive%20summary%2012.pdf Family Support: Fostering Leadership and Partnerships to Improve Access, #14: This brief and the previously released report from the National Center for Infant and Early Childhood Health Policy provide an overview of what family support entails, information about financing family support services, and strategies to enhance family support through the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems initiative. http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/PUBLICATIONS/Documents/brief2ndprf.pdf Building a Model System of Developmental Services in Orange County: This report from the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities outlines a model pathway for providing developmental services including collaboration between pediatric and early care and education providers. The model focuses on developmental optimization through promotion, prevention assessment, intervention, and care coordination in one of the nation's largest counties. http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/PUBLICATIONS/Documents/FinalOC.pdf

newsletter created for: youremail@youremailaddress.com	May 09, 2005

Unsubscribe from Newsletter \| Subscribe to Newsletter \| Forward to a Friend

The Champions for Progress Newsletter if funded as part of the Leadership Development for Implementation of Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Cooperative Agreement (#U42MC00241), funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration (DHHS) to the Early Intervention Research Institute at Utah State University. The Champions for Progress Center would like to thank John Reiss of the Institute for Child Health Policy at the University of Florida for his work collecting newsitems for this Newsletter.