Category: Uncategorized

IDEA Determinations

June 19, 2019

Connecticut received the state’s “determination letter” from the US Dept. of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and for the 13th year in a row Connecticut received a determination of “meets requirements”.  That is the highest level determination. This is important because it is one indicator of the health of the system.  The change in how programs are paid was very disruptive for everyone and yet we continue to meet IDEA requirements. The only way we could do this is through your efforts ensuring that families have timely initial IFSP meetings, new services, and transition conferences.  This is in addition … Continue reading


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Change to Parent Payment Contractor – English & Spanish notices

July 6, 2017

The July 1 change in billing vendor from Summit to PCG (Public Consulting Group) was announced to families last week.  Notices from PCG to families are posted here in English and Spanish. The PCG toll-free HelpDesk number is 1-844-293-0023.


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Change in Family Payment Process & Billing Vendor

June 29, 2017

The Connecticut Birth to Three System has contracted with Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) to process Family Cost Participation payments.  Beginning July 1, 2017 PCG will replace Summit Technologies and will manage the invoice, payment process and suspension letters. Read this letter for full details.    


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FREE Summer Meals for Kids!

June 8, 2017

Summer Meals Programs provide FREE, federally funded, healthy meals and snacks for children 18 and younger during the summer when school meals are no longer available. There are more than 600 Summer Meals locations statewide! The Summer Meals program is administered by the CT Department of Education. Click here for more information including a list of locations.


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Early Autism

April 5, 2017

Yale School of Medicine —  Child Study Center — Cohen Auditorium 230 South Frontage Road New Haven, CT  06519 PRESENTED BY:  TODDLER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES CLINIC Click for Registration Click for Full Agenda  


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Public Hearing Regarding DORS-BESB Children’s Services Policy Manual

February 28, 2017

This is your chance to provide feedback on BESB children’s services and collaboration with the Birth to Three system. You can also provide written testimony and comments via email below. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING  The State of Connecticut, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) will be conducting a public hearing on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 184 Windsor Avenue, Windsor, CT and simultaneously by teleconference. The purpose of the hearing is to offer the public, consumers, advocates, agencies and organizations the opportunity to provide comments pertaining to … Continue reading


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Easy ASQ online enrollment

January 25, 2017

Connecting families to the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) is quick and easy via the online enrollment options on CDI’s website. Online questionnaires: Click here for English       Click here for Spanish Mailed questionnaires, Click here Every family of a child that is not receiving Birth to Three supports and services can benefit from this free developmental monitoring program. This includes parents: who decline the evaluation whose children are determined not eligible whose children are eligible but choose not to enroll in Birth to Three who exit before or at 36 months who want to know more about age-appropriate developmental skills ASQ developmental monitoring continues until 60 months of … Continue reading


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Terrific Opportunity for Early Interventionists in Birth to Three!

January 13, 2017

LAST CALL  – ONLY 4 SLOTS REMAIN.    NEED TO CONTACT Gabriella Freye by WEDNESDAY, January 18th!!!      The University of Connecticut, Mary Beth Bruder, is offering a course including a series of 3 modules on early intervention.  The course will allow for graduate credit or a stipend, as well as attainment of the CT. Birth to Three Early Intervention Specialist Credential after successful completion of  the 3 modules.   Please contact Gabriela Freyre-Calish, MSW at 860-679-1563 or freyre@nso2.uchc.edu.   Here’s what your colleagues are saying: “This course provides early interventionists with the essential tools needed to understand and apply the research that guides how we provide services to … Continue reading


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Activity Based Teaming: Training and TA

January 12, 2017

Applications have gone out to program directors for the two-day training in April 2017 and follow-up TA for 6 months.  The training will be on Evidence-based practices in Early Intervention by national experts, Dathan Rush & M’Lisa Shelden.  Program Directors should submit the application for their team by January 24, 2017.  Contact Linda Bamonte for more information.


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Natural Learning Environments Training – February 2017

January 12, 2017

Going Deeper Into Natural Learning Environments, a one-day training, has been added to the calendar for February 22, 2017 (Snow Date February 24th).  This is an essential training for anyone providing Early Intervention to families and a pre-requisite for any teams applying for the Activity-Based Teaming Training and TA with Rush & Shelden in April.  Register on the Birth to Three Calendar.


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LEARN Disability Summit at Mohegan Sun

January 6, 2017

LEARN Young Children & Families and Student Support Services are proud to present this 0 – 21 Disability Summit. Registration is open now. Free to registered participants. When: March 11, 2017   10 AM – 4 PM Where: Mohegan Sun Convention Center, Uncasville, CT More information is available at http://www.learn.k12.ct.us/  


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Autism Workshop December 13, 2017

December 1, 2016

An Autism Workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Edmund and Arlene Grossman Auditorium, Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington. The workshop is sponsored by the Institute for Systems Genomics, and will feature speakers from the UConn Storrs and Farmington campuses, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and The Jackson Laboratory.  See Birth to Three Calendar for more information.  


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UCONN Early Intervention Course with Stipend Starts January 2017!

November 17, 2016

The University of Connecticut, Mary Beth Bruder, is offering a course including a series of 3 modules on early intervention.  The course will allow for graduate credit or a stipend, as well as attainment of the CT. Birth to Three Early Intervention Specialist Credential after successful completion of  the 3 modules.   Please contact Gabriela Freyre-Calish, MSW at 860-679-1563 or freyre@nso2.uchc.edu.   Here’s what your colleagues are saying: “This course provides early interventionists with the essential tools needed to understand and apply the research that guides how we provide services to young children and their families.” – Mary Beth McLaughlin (ASD) “I have grown so … Continue reading


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Infant and Toddler Food FACTS

November 3, 2016

Birth to two years is a critical period for developing healthy food preferences and eating habits and preventing childhood obesity. Baby Food FACTS provides a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional content of food and drink products marketed to parents for their babies and toddlers (up to age 3), the messages used to promote these products, and how well the marketing messages correspond with expert advice about feeding young children. Click Here for the Summary sheet in English Click Here for the Summary Sheet in Spanish .


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New MOU with BESB-DORS

November 2, 2016

The CT Office of Early Childhood and the Board of Education and Services for the Blind, Dept. of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) recently established a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate supports for families of children who have confirmed visual impairment, legal blindness, or are deaf/blind. Please click here for the details and the full MOU.


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New trainings and webinars added to the Calendar

October 28, 2016

Please check out the Birth to Three training calendar for recent additions of trainings and webinars that may be of interest!  Some topics include: Annual CT. Down Syndrome Conference with discounted rates for Birth to Three personnel, Fragile X Conference,  webinars on dual language learners and gluten-free diets in the pediatric population.  The Natural Learning Environments training on November 16th still has a few spots left.  Don’t get closed out!


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SSIP Evaluation Update

October 3, 2016

FY16 (July 15-June 2016) was last year.  Now we are in FY17 and we are reporting to OSEP about what we did in FY16 ……but to them it’s FY15. Sometimes we use FFY 15/ SFY 16 just to be clear because even though the Federal FY and State FY look different, it’s the same year. So what does this have to do with the SPP /APR and SSIP?   Well, we are looking at how to summarize what we did during FFY15/SFY16 to reach our State-identified Measureable Result or SiMR.   The SiMR is here. On page 52 of this PDF (Phase … Continue reading


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It’s Flu Season – CDC update and guidance

September 19, 2016

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance for the 2016 flu season. This season’s vaccines have been updated to better match more recently circulating influenza viruses. CDC recommends that everyone aged 6 months or older receive an influenza vaccine every year, by the end of October if possible. However, CDC continues to recommend that influenza vaccination efforts continue as long as influenza viruses are circulating in the community. Significant seasonal influenza virus activity can continue into May, so vaccination later in the season can still provide benefit during most seasons. One big change for the … Continue reading


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Evaluations and Screenings – OSEP’s View

September 7, 2016

A  policy letter was recently issued from the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education to a parent that clarifies screenings, multidisciplinary evaluations and eligibility. For the details on who, what, when and how, click here.


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A Doctor’s View on Supporting Families

September 7, 2016

Does this sound familiar??  Families do not always agree with research-based recommendations.  We do our best to reach common ground and move forward together. Physicians Struggle with Ethics of Barring Families who do not follow immunization schedule “We as pediatricians do so much more than immunize…We teach, we advocate, we role model, and even when parents say no to immunization the first 10 times we bring it up, we bring it up an 11th and 12th time.” Kenneth Alexander, MD, PhD* and Thomas A. Lacy, MD** say the small risk to vulnerable [immune-compromised] children is outweighed by the benefits families get from … Continue reading


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