Writing IFSP's, Voluntary Family Assessments and Outcomes

							A Good Start Makes A Difference for Families and Service Coordinators!

Voluntary Family Assessments and IFSP Outcomes

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Welcome
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We are Teri Pinto, Mary Beth Vick and Amy Wanous… Who are you?

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EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Service Coordinators were asked
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What is the most fundamental thing you should know to do your job? What is the one thing you wished you had known when you first started that no one told you? What is the hardest aspect of your job? What is the easiest aspect of your job?
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Who responded?
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25 service coordinators responded to the questionnaire Work experience ranged from 3 weeks to 18 years

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EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What they said
What is the most fundamental thing you should know to do your job?
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Time management skills
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Prioritizing Organizing Computer skills

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Good documentation skills
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Knowledge of medical concerns and reports Working with other professionals
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

All great things to know
But what about….
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Interpersonal skills Being a good listener

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EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What they said
What is the one thing you wished you had known when you first started that no one told you?
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How much paperwork there would be How intense PAR can be You can’t MAKE families follow-through How hard it is to get services in some areas

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

All great things to know
But what about…
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Understanding child development and family dynamics What “routines-based intervention” means The plan is driven by the family’s needs

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What they said
What is the hardest aspect of your job?
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Paperwork GIFTS Scheduling therapists Timelines

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What they said
What is the easiest aspect of your job?
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Direct intervention with the families Advocating for families Home visits Working with parents who “get it” When families buy into the philosophy that they are their child’s teacher and they implement our suggestions
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What do these things tell us?
You LOVE working with families that’s what got you here in the first place
Paperwork, timelines, and GIFTS are all necessary evils, so you do them….so you can spend more time with families
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

So…what if we offered you
A way to spend more time on the things you LOVE about your job and find the EASIEST
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Working directly with families Home visits Helping parents “get it” Getting families to “buy into” our philosophy

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

AND
Less time on the things you DISLIKE and find the HARDEST to do
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Paperwork GIFTS TImelines

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What if….
… we went in a new direction? … we really addressed the issues of life for each family and their child? … we looked at the quality of the voluntary family assessments and maximized what we got out of them?
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Here is what we see now
“Georgie was born 3 months premature. He lives with his foster parents, twin sister and 6 other siblings. He remained in the hospital 3 months after birth. He shows significant delays in fine motor, cognitive, and language areas. He also shows slight delays in gross motor and social emotional areas. He is unable to stoop down to pick up toys…”
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

More of the same
“Ms. Burris stated that Aaron wasn’t born premature. He has a younger brother which they both attend the same day care. Ms. Burris stated that Aaron isn’t talking as he should…”

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

One more for good measure
“Paul is a 32 month old little boy who is currently in the custody of DHR. He was picked up and taken into care due to lack of parent supervision. He has little communication skills, unable to say his name. He was referred by the pediatrician. The DHR social worker would like EI to assist her in making sure that Paul gets all the services he needs.”
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What do you think?
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Yes, you have been writing these for years!
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Just don’t know another way? It is easy and the information is already there?

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Yes, we have been accepting them as Voluntary Family Assessments and giving you credit during the PAR review. No, that will NOT continue!
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We are revising the PAR so that it better assesses the QUALITY of your work, not just the quantity.
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

So, what do you do?
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Learn some interviewing skills
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Ask some open ended questions Learn to stop, look and listen

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Adopt a new way of conducting a voluntary family assessment and writing outcomes
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You can teach an old dog new tricks Let the FRAMES work for you Rate your outcomes for functionality

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Reasons for the VFA
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Getting to know the family
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Develop a bond with the family Provides a short cut to much information

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Assessing family needs
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If you could change anything, what would it be? When you lie awake at night, what worries you?

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Setting priorities
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

What is FRAMES?
The Frames Tool Process is invaluable tool for getting to know the child /family and is an excellent tool for conducting the Voluntary Family Assessment.
The Frames Tool provides a rich profile and history that helps provider become familiar with the child / family and is the foundation from which the IFSP may be developed.
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

The FRAMES Process
The 12 basic topic areas for open ended questions…
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History Eco Map Functional Communication Child’s World Child and Family Routines

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

The FRAMES Process
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Health Choices Appropriate Behaviors and Behaviors of Concern Fears and Concerns Child/Teacher/Family Stressors Stress Related Strategies Future Plans/Changes in Next 12 months

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

History

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Eco Map

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Functional Communication V= Consistent * =Sometimes
Complex speech (sentences) Multiple word phrases One word utterances Echolalia Other vocalizing Complex signing Single signs Leading Shakes Head Grab/reach Gives objects Increased movement Moves close to you Fixed gaze Facial expression Moves away or leaves Aggression- hits Cries / tantrums Self-Injury- bumps head Other- throws Pointing

Mode

Communicative Function
Request attention

Request help

Request preferred food/objects or activities Request break

Show you something or some place Indicate physical pain (headache, illness)
Indicate confusion or unhappiness Protest or reject a situation or activity

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Home

School

Work

Community

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Child and Family Routines
Weekday
Saturday

Weekend
Sunday

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Health
+
-

Medication name:
None

Prescribed by:

Reason:

Possible side effects:

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Choices
Child
Family/Teacher

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Appropriate Behaviors & Behaviors of Concern

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Fears and Concerns-List name in first column, concerns in middle column, then rank level of concern in third column.
Name I am concerned about…
Low to High

1 2 3 45

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Child/ Teacher/ Family Stressors
List name in first column, stressors in middle column, then rank level of stress in third column.
Name I feel stressed when…
Low to High

1 2 3 4 5

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Stress Related Strategies What Works What Does Not Work

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Future Plans/Changes in Next 12 months?

Work

School

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Now what?

Now that we have the FRAME work, how do we develop better functional outcomes and ultimately provide better services?

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Developing Functional Outcomes

What outcomes can YOU come up with for the IFSP? (your turn to work)

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Family Defined Outcomes

Family Defined Goals To Enhance Child’s Development, Page F of the IFSP format (handout)

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

But are they functional?
Scale of Early Intervention Goal Functionality
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Developed by Robin McWilliams Goals focusing on
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Engagement and participation needs Independence needs Social relationship needs

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

EXCELLENT!

Now how hard was that?

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

Willing to give it a try?
We pledge to…
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Provide more training on VFA at Journey I Give you the tools to use
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FRAMES Goal functionality scale

If you will…
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Work on improving your listening skills
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Incorporate FRAMES and McWilliams Scale

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Call us with any questions, we are here to help!

EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous

How to contact us
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Teri Pinto
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DMH – Office of Children’s Services
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205-941-9904 Theresa.pinto@mh.alabama.gov

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Mary Beth Vick
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Community Service Programs of West Alabama
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205-752-0476 x 115 mvick@cspwal.com

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Amy Wanous
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ADRS – Division of Early Intervention
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334-293-7211 Amy.wanous@rehab.alabama.gov
EI and Preschool Conference 2009 Pinto, Vick, Wanous