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Agenda & Minutes
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Agenda
Minutes
February 10, 2004
Attendance
Mary Anne Wilson, Denise Novak, Amy Santos, Mary-alayne Hughes, Terry Goode, Kenny Goode, Mark Driscoll, Amy Amerio, Brandi Granse, April Leopold, Ruth Meyers-Dunnum, Andrea Herzog, Cheri Adams, Dottie Squire, Marlise Dahl, Linda Parnell, Debbie Coleman, Susan A. Ogwal, Kelly Hartford, Carla Oldham
Introduction
Members identified their names and agency.
Announcements
- April Leopold announced the LIC Coordinator position and requirements. Ads will appear in the News Gazette on February 22, 25 and 29, 2004. Guidelines state that the person who holds the position is a parent of a child with a disability, regardless of the child's age. The position is 7.5 hours per week which comes out to approximately $250 per month. The LIC Coordinator will have a cell phone, voice mail and computer for LIC business.
- April Leopold will try to track down the previous LIC Coordinator to return LIC property. Members gave suggestions on how to reach the previous coordinator.
Agency Announcements
- Mary Anne Wilson (United Way and Success by 6) provided brochures on Success by 6, an early childhood initiative in Champaign County, and Back Up Solutions which is a "collaborative effort of Success by 6 and Child Care Resource Service to make available temporary "back-up" child care for times when customary child care is unavailable." Also, Mary Anne passed out the LIC/Birth to 5 Council 2004 Member Contact List and asked members to make updates. The Community Report Card 2003, Family Service Self-Help Center: Parenting Group Listing/ Disabilities Listing, HelpSource website, Help Book 2003 and the Community Resource Directory 2002-2003 were also made available to each member present. Mary Ann stated that she is working on a Parent Resource Guide that will be out in March in hard copy and on website.
- Amy Santos (University of Illinois) announced that the ERIC Clearing House is no longer in existence due to lack of funding. She also discussed and handed out a brochure on the Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative project beginning this year. ECAP is located at the Children's Research Center. Amy also mentioned that the ECAP website can be linked to the LIC. Anyone wanting to give assistive technology donations, please contact ECAP for instructions.
- Amy Santos also discussed a grant she, Mary-alayne Hughes and Terry Goode are writing. The purpose of the grant project is to strengthen and enhance SPED 338 (Families of Children with Special Needs) offered in the Department of Special Education. This course offers undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to learn from families of children with or at-risk for disabilities. It also offers them a chance to become knowledgeable of resources available in the community that support families and children with special needs. All these serve to provide them with skills necessary for them to become effective partners with families of children with or at risk for disabilities. The goal of this proposed project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a Community Impact Project that will be required for students registered in SPED 338. We plan to collaborate with community organizations to ensure that a variety of perspectives and practical knowledge are part of the development and evaluation of the Community Impact Project.
- Amy Santos also distributed a flyer, "We Are Looking for Filipino Moms!" She is looking for mothers who have lived within the United States between 1 - 10 years and have an infant or toddler. It is a study about child rearing practices. If anyone has interested mothers, please call 333-0260. There is additional information on brochure.
- It was also announced that The Illinois Early Learning Project had been refunded; see brochure.
- Dottie Squire announced new DCFS licensing regulations for Family Child Care Providers. Each provider needs 6 hours of disabilities training by 2006. There are 5 components required to meet this regulation. DCFS has been vague about how they will provide the trainings, but currently Child Care Resource Service has an identified trainer. Members identified StarNet and Illinois Training Center as possible trainers to assist providers in acquiring the training.
- Carla Oldham (PROUDD) provided flyers regarding two spring workshops, "Living in a Social World" and "Family Autism Conference", for parents and community agencies. These conferences are free. You may contact Carla at (217) 351-6764 or prouddparents@aol.com.
- Healthy Families announced that they are now able to provide support to moms who already have children. To make referrals contact Janice Connelly at Provena Behavioral Health at Centerpoint.
Functions of the LIC
- Before the March 18th meeting, the groups will meet from 8:30 to 8:45 to identify next steps.
- Provider Recruitment Group's responsibilities are to recruit providers who are in the EI system. Presently there is a desperate need for Physical Therapists. April Leopold stated that there is also no one assigned as a Pediatric Developmental Therapist for this area.
- The Child Find/Transition Group have met and signed an Interagency Agreement.
- The Public Awareness Group has continued to work as well. An ad, "Look What I Can Do", has been in the local papers. There was some discussion about adding the Equipment Loan task to the Public Awareness group.
Budget
- Currently the LIC has $3000 to spend by June 30. No allocation of these dollars for last year. The Birth to Five Council needs to define what will be needed to run the LIC. A question was raised about whether or not DHS would allow the council to give more hours to the LIC Coordinator. April Leopold agreed to follow up with DHS.
Advisory Council
- Two members from each LIC meets together monthly to discuss EI issues and provide updates form each LIC. It's the fourth Tuesday of each month from noon to 2:00 in Bloomington.
- Star Family Events - Each LIC highlights a family each year to serve at community functions. The family interested would represent our local council.
Meeting Date and Times
- Mary Anne Wilson suggested meeting monthly to ensure the $3000 gets spent. She offered the United Way as space for the Birth to Five Council Meetings. All members agreed to the space.
- In order to rebuild the council, meetings will be held on the third Thursday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for March 18 from 8:45 to 10:30. The council will vote on co-chairs and appoint officers. Terry Goode suggested a co-chairs, a parent and a community representative.
- Future Meetings scheduled are as follows: April 15, May 20.
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