IV. Priority Recommendations (continued)
Issues and Solutions related to Quality (Q) We note that there are four recommendations found in priority 3, achieving equitable access in Part C EI, that are equally relevant to the overall recommendations in this section. These recommendations follow; additional details are found in the Equity section.
EQ2. Partner with higher education to recruit and train individuals from historically underserved communities and immigrant communities to join the EI workforce EQ3. Introduce Early Intervention as a career opportunity to participating families, the child care workforce, and during high school EQ4. Provide ongoing anti-bias, cultural responsiveness, and equity workforce development EQ5. Increase county-level data by race/ethnicity
Q1. Provide program funding to counties to support workforce quality
The professionals who provide Part C EI services to families are not compensated for the professional development time that is essential to quality service delivery; funding is not available for induction and mentorship of EI professionals who are new to Part C service delivery. Many EI professionals work as contractors, which exacerbates the issue. Dedicating program funding to counties specifically for quality workforce professional development will help address this issue. Provide program funding to counties, over and above fee-for-service billing, to pay for the time of EI providers to participate in professional development, provide funds to providers to support quality of contractors, and implement statewide induction/mentorship for all new EI providers.
Issue
Solution
Legislative Additional financial resources required
Type
Q2. Assure that all EI providers can plan and provide services together as a team
Children and their families may be best served when the EI professionals can provide services at the same time. Likewise, periodic team meetings are needed that bring together all the EI professionals, the service coordinator, and the family. However, teaming in service delivery and regular team meetings are not routinely part of EI. Assure that all EI providers can plan and provide services together as a team, at one time, for a child/family, when appropriate. At a minimum, provide program funding for periodic team meetings that include providers, service coordinator, and family. Adopt a clear mechanism that has allowable billable hours for the EI provider team to meet together to case conference with the family.
Issue
Solution
Administrative and legislative Additional financial resources required
Type
June 2022
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