Georgetown University

Problem:

There are significant personnel shortages in the early intervention arena. Shortages are more acute in jurisdictions with particularly vulnerable populations of young children in rural America or the inner city of large metropolitan areas.

Goals and Objectives:

1: Build capacity of providers to serve infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families by increasing knowledge, skills, and competencies in evidence based early intervention. 1a: Develop four core training modules aligned with national early intervention competencies and those established by the Alaskan and DC Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; 1b: Create an online resource of developmentally appropriate practices. 2: Improve providers' capacities to assume leadership roles within early intervention. 2a: Create one training module on knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to design, implement, and sustain major system reform and ensure improvements in service delivery systems. 2b: Align module with MCH leadership competencies; 3: Advance community-based, coordinated systems of care approach among early childhood service systems. 3a: Develop one module on coordinating systems of care approach, 3b: Develop an interactive “Community of Learners” of current professional materials that users can post comments and interact with others; 4: Promote distance learning and dissemination of the curriculum within the MCH community. 4a: Coordinate and convene the DL Annual Grantee Meeting, 4b: Disseminate widely through targeted e-mails, direct mailings, e-mail lists, and newsletters. Activities undertaken to meet project goals: 1: Create six on-line training modules promoting evidence-based, family-centered, community-based, culturally competent, developmentally appropriate early intervention. 2: Develop an electronic toolkit of EI tools and resources; 3: Develop quick-reference electronic fact sheets on contemporary EI practices; 4: Integrate multiple training strategies; 5: Promote and disseminate curriculum through a variety of methods; 5: Convene a meeting of MCHB DL grantees; 6: Offer continuing education credits. Healthy People 2010 Objectives: Goal 1: Improve access to comprehensive, high quality health care services; Goal 6: Promote the health of people with disabilities, prevent secondary conditions, and eliminate disparities between people with and without disabilities; Goal 16: Maternal, infant, and child health; Goal 11: Health communication (quality health information sources); Goal 23: Public health infrastructure (access to information and surveillance data, continuing education).

Coordination:

CPEI will coordinate with Alaska EI/ILP, DCITDD, UCEDDs at GU and UA; NCCC; National TA Center for Children’s Mental Health; Bright Futures; and the MCH Library.

Evaluation:

1: Conduct usability testing with target audiences; 2: Coordinate state review of curriculum; 3: Develop and administer online methods to evaluate course; 4: Administer online methods to evaluate users' knowledge, skills, and attitudes; 5: Conduct a follow-up survey via e-mail 6 months after users complete the course; and 6: Compile and analyze Web statistics.