Quest for Inclusion

• Welcome and introductionsWelcome and introductions

• SpecialQuest historySpecialQuest history

• www.specialquest.org

• SpecialQuest Multimedia Training LibrarySpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library

Collaborative Partnerships to

Enhance Services for Children

with Disabilities and their

Families

• NM Head Start Collaboration OfficeNM Head Start Collaboration Office

• NM Public Education Department , Special Education Bureau NM Public Education Department , Special Education Bureau

• NM Department of Health, Family Infant Toddler ProgramNM Department of Health, Family Infant Toddler Program

• NM Children, Youth and Families Department, Office of Child NM Children, Youth and Families Department, Office of Child DevelopmentDevelopment

• NM Early Childhood Higher Education Task ForceNM Early Childhood Higher Education Task Force

• UNM/Center for Development and DisabilityUNM/Center for Development and Disability

• Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Parents Reaching Out (PRO)

• Education for Parents of Indian Children with Special Needs (EPICS) Education for Parents of Indian Children with Special Needs (EPICS)

• NM SpecialQuest Community Graduates: Alamo Navajo Early NM SpecialQuest Community Graduates: Alamo Navajo Early Childhood Center and La Clinica de Familia Early Head StartChildhood Center and La Clinica de Familia Early Head Start

• Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)

• NM Association for the Education of Young ChildrenNM Association for the Education of Young Children

• NM Governor's Commission on Disability NM Governor's Commission on Disability

• NM School for the Blind and Visually ImpairedNM School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

• NM School for the DeafNM School for the Deaf

NM State Leadership Team Partners

• All families of young children (birth through five) All families of young children (birth through five)

receive quality supports, services, and systems of care receive quality supports, services, and systems of care

that are accessible to all groups, respectful of that are accessible to all groups, respectful of

individual and family choice, child and family individual and family choice, child and family

centered, culturally competent and within community-centered, culturally competent and within community-

based systems, which work together to enhance based systems, which work together to enhance

positive outcomes for families and children in positive outcomes for families and children in

New Mexico.New Mexico.

NM SpecialQuest Vision

• Crosswalk regulations Crosswalk regulations

• RFP requiring inclusive practicesRFP requiring inclusive practices

• Clarify responsibilities on Indian landClarify responsibilities on Indian land

• SpecialQuest in SpecialQuest in Governor’sGovernor’s initiatives initiatives

Working Together to Impact Policy & Funding

• Inventory NM resources on inclusionInventory NM resources on inclusion

• BrochureBrochure

• Develop & Develop & provideprovide training at local, state & national training at local, state & national

levelslevels

Working Together to CoordinateTraining on Inclusion

La La ClínicaClínica de Familia de Familia SpecialQuest TeamSpecialQuest Team

SpecialQuest Birth-Five SpecialQuest Birth-Five Community Team MeetingCommunity Team Meeting

August 5, 2008 August 5, 2008 The following agencies were represented:The following agencies were represented:

• La La ClínicaClínica de Familia de Familia Early Head StartEarly Head Start

• Tresco TOTSTresco TOTS• AprendamosAprendamos

Intervention TeamIntervention Team• MECA Therapies LLCMECA Therapies LLC• Dona Ana County Dona Ana County

Head StartHead Start• HELP New Mexico, Inc.HELP New Mexico, Inc.

• Las Cruces Public Schools Las Cruces Public Schools Head StartHead Start• Las Cruces Public Schools Las Cruces Public Schools DD DD Pre-SchoolPre-School• SpecialQuest GraduateSpecialQuest Graduate

Judi LujanJudi Lujan• Parents Reaching Out Parents Reaching Out • La Vida InstituteLa Vida Institute• La La ClínicaClínica de de FamiliaFamilia Healthy Healthy Start Start

OVERVIEW OF “COMMUNITY OVERVIEW OF “COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS OF INCLUSIVE PERCEPTIONS OF INCLUSIVE PRACTICES”PRACTICES”

Including Children Birth-Five with Including Children Birth-Five with Disabilities,Disabilities,

Involving Families of Young Children Involving Families of Young Children with Disabilities,with Disabilities,

Providing Integrated Services to Providing Integrated Services to Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers with Disabilities, andwith Disabilities, and

Supporting Implementation and Supporting Implementation and Sustainability.Sustainability.

Phase 1Phase 1Strengths as a CommunityStrengths as a Community

• Value families as partners and Value families as partners and decision makersdecision makers

• Transition Teams in placeTransition Teams in place

• Agencies working together toward a Agencies working together toward a common goalcommon goal

Phase 1Phase 1“Cause to Pause”“Cause to Pause”

• Team recognized the need for a Team recognized the need for a unified effort to increase inclusive unified effort to increase inclusive practices in our community. practices in our community.

• Team recognized the need to Team recognized the need to formalize a community plan within formalize a community plan within Dona AnaDona Ana County. County.

• Team recognized the need to involve Team recognized the need to involve key players in Dona Ana County. key players in Dona Ana County.

SpecialQuest Birth-Five Las Cruces SpecialQuest Birth-Five Las Cruces Community Team Meeting November 18, Community Team Meeting November 18,

20082008

Action Plan IdeasAction Plan Ideas

• Create a Vision StatementCreate a Vision Statement

• Learn more about each other’s Learn more about each other’s programsprograms

• Learn more about SpecialQuest Learn more about SpecialQuest resourcesresources

• Strengthen our SpecialQuest teamStrengthen our SpecialQuest team

• Collaborate for future funding/grant Collaborate for future funding/grant opportunitiesopportunities

Action Plan IdeasAction Plan Ideas

Increase participation on SpecialQuest Increase participation on SpecialQuest team:team:

• FamiliesFamilies

• New Mexico State University New Mexico State University Professors Professors

• Gadsden Independent School Gadsden Independent School DistrictDistrict

• Hatch Municipal SchoolsHatch Municipal Schools

Action Plan Ideas Action Plan Ideas

Enhance Collaboration: Enhance Collaboration:

• Training on Inclusive practices Training on Inclusive practices

• Training on Early Childhood topicsTraining on Early Childhood topics

• Shared list serve for SpecialQuest Shared list serve for SpecialQuest Community Team Community Team

Vision StatementVision Statement

All children in Doña Ana County, age All children in Doña Ana County, age birth to five, have access to inclusive birth to five, have access to inclusive educational and social environments.educational and social environments.

Our mission is to establish Our mission is to establish meaningful partnerships to enhance meaningful partnerships to enhance and integrate systems with access to and integrate systems with access to a broad range of services.a broad range of services.

Creating Bright FuturesCreating Bright Futures

Video Title

• How did they identify partners and build relationships?How did they identify partners and build relationships?

• What strategies did they use to gather & share What strategies did they use to gather & share

information?information?

• How did they work together to develop & coordinate How did they work together to develop & coordinate

plans?plans?

• How did they implement plans?How did they implement plans?

Guided Viewing: In Concert

• Begin bullet text hereBegin bullet text here

Double linetitle

What Can You Do to Support Inclusive Practices?

Together We’re Better!Together We’re Better!

Join the QUEST!Join the QUEST!