Carlena Lowell 513 Activity 2 Quarterly Reviews

Carlena Lowell
SEI 513 Activity #2 Quarterly Reviews

1

Activity #2: Facilitate at Least Five Part C Quarterly Reviews
Carlena Lowell
SEI 513
Spring 2014

Carlena Lowell
2

*All names have been changed or covered in order to maintain confidentiality.
Introduction
As outlined in my Individualized Practicum Plan (IPP), I facilitated at least five
quarterly reviews for the second activity. Legally, six month and annual reviews of the
services identified in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) must be done prior
to six months and one year from the date of the initial IFSP. In addition to these two
quarterly reviews, I offer all families the three and nine month reviews of services as
well, which does involve more work for me as a service coordinator than simply doing
the six month and annual reviews. However, by offering families these non-required
quarterly reviews, as a team we are able to address things such as met outcomes or
outcomes and services in need of modification, in a more timely fashion. Moreover, we
have these reviews to better meet the needs of the family and to ensure the service
providers are receiving credit for outcomes being worked toward with the family. Many
times families like to have a three month review, whereas nine month reviews are rather
infrequent.
During the three, six, and nine month reviews, we often start with an informal
conversation about how things are generally going for the family. We may discuss any
appointments or evaluations (i.e. audiological evaluations) the child may have had since
our last review. I also have the parent or caregiver sign the Advanced Written Notice if
they did not receive it seven days prior to the meeting; I always let them know about this
on the phone when scheduling the meeting. We then move into discussing each
outcome on the plan; I read each outcome as a refresher, then I take notes as to how it
Carlena Lowell
3

is going. We then decide if the outcome has been met, if we will continue with the
outcome, or if the outcome needs modification and if so, what sort of modification. After
moving through the outcomes, we discuss the grid, which is the Services section of
the IFSP. We ensure that the frequency and duration of the primary service providers
(PSP) visits are appropriate, the settings are still correct, and if there are any
consultation visits from other providers we check to ensure those are still appropriate.
We also look at the Other Services section of the IFSP to ensure everything is up to
date. After discussing current services and plan, we discuss other things if need be
such as the transition to Part B and have new Authorizations to Share and/or Request
Information forms signed if need be. Finally, we all sign the signature page.
Quarterly Review #1Six Month Review
On Monday February 10, I facilitated a six month review of services. I was
considerably out of compliance with this particular six month review, as the date was
early last October. The family has been and continues to deal with significant medical
issues with one of its members and, not for lack of trying by the family or CDS, the
review was consistently rescheduled from September until now due to frequent
hospitalizations. This was the first time I have met the family, and it was a pleasure.
After the review I felt fairly satisfied with the way in which I was able to facilitate it. This
was an interesting meeting because after the three month review last summer
(completed prior to my accepting this position), the outcomes never made it into the
IFSP. I was reading from the Written Notice as to what the outcomes regarded, and
then after this meeting, wrote them myself. That is the first time this has happen, and I
suspect it is the only time.
Carlena Lowell
4

During this meeting we reviewed each outcome and added two new ones. We
adjusted the frequency of services to reflect those the family cancelled over the last few
months due to medical reasons, and added a consultation from the licensed clinical
social worker (LCSW) from our team. I also discussed with the family the transition to
Part B from Part C as the child turns three in the summer. I have this discussion with
families the next time I see them after their child turns two. I was confident in this part
of the meeting as I felt I was able to explain it in its entirety.
As a site, we have recently undergone a major change with the way in which our
Part C to Part B transition happens. Prior to this month, I would meet with the family,
the PSP, and the IEP facilitator, and either the IEP facilitator or I would get consent and
make referrals for evaluations do determine Part B eligibility. It was never really clear
who did what, but we somehow generally managed to get it done. Now we have a
specific transition coordinator position (every time I say it, it is like music to my ears). I
have met with her, and now know my exact role in the process, what meetings need to
take place when, who will get consents signed and make referrals, and everything else
that comes into play in this process. This review was the first I time have actually
discussed this newly adopted process with a family, and I feel it went well. Now that
there are clear lines defined around who does what when during this process I am more
comfortable explaining it to families.
Even though I felt confident in my ability to explain the process in its entirety,
there is still room for improvement. One thing that quickly comes to mind that I would
like to work on for next time (and I do have at least two reviews that I will be discussing
this at in the near future) is the order in which I explain the various components of the
Carlena Lowell
5

process. I felt that, although I was able to express everything I needed to, it could have
been more fluent in the order in which I discussed it. I seemed to skip around because I
would say something, and that would remind me of something else, and I wanted to get
it out before I forgot it. The following is a list of what needs to be discussed in relation to
the transition process, in a somewhat organized sense:
The difference between Part B and Part C
o Home based vs. educational setting
o Year round vs. academic year
Eligibility needs to be determined
o How (specific evaluations; by whom and where will be discussed at
the transition conference)
The transition coordinators role
The transition conference
The transition meeting
o IFSP vs. IEP
Timing of the transition conference
Authorization to Share Information with Part B signed, and Transition
Planning page of the IFSP initialed
I plan to make a little cheat sheet with this information, and more if I think of it
between now and the next time I have this conversation with a family, to take with me.
That way I can ensure I remember to discuss everything needed, in an orderly fashion.

Carlena Lowell
6

I recently had a file transferred to me from CDS First Step as the family moved
into my catchment area. The timing coincided nicely with the familys six month review
of services, which was due on February 27
th
; this actual review was held on the 19
th
. I
had several phone conversations with the mother in order to set the date, and discuss
potential PSPs. After I gave her several choices, she decided that having a social
worker (LCSW) would be the best choice as a PSP for her and her child at this point.
Many of the outcomes are based on the childs behaviors and parenting strategies and
techniques to deal with said behaviors. At the meeting, we review the outcomes,
determined which ones we will continue, were met, and needed modification. We also
discussed other services and the transition to Part B. I felt okay about this part of the
meeting. The structure of the way in which I tell families about the transition still needs
a bit of work. Similarly to the first quarterly review described, I was a bit scattered in my
organization of thoughts.
The meeting participants were the mother, myself, the PSP, and the familys
case manager from another agency. I am always glad when representatives from
outside agencies are able to attend meetings, for several reasons. First, it allows all
people involved with the family to be on the same page as far as services are
concerned. This works both ways: the other person is able to learn exactly what is on
the IFSP and how CDS services are carried out, and the PSP and I are able to learn
what it is the other person is doing with the family. Second, it allows me to network with
people from other agencies so that perhaps in the future I can recommend their
services to others in need.
Carlena Lowell
7

I also appreciated this meeting, and the transfer of the file in general, because I
find it beneficial to see the similarities and differences in the way in which Part C service
coordinators from different sites do things. For example, the way in which the Part C
service coordinator from First Step and I create our service grids are very similar, which
I was happy to see as that was one of the most confusing steps of the IFSP for me at
first. The way in which we write our strategies for each outcome is very different
though. Her outcome strategies are much more in depth precisely outlining what the
PSP will do with the family to meet the outcome, whereas I was taught to use a blanket
statement about the parent working with an early interventionist who will model and
coach in order to do (insert outcome). I plan to have a conversation about this part of
the IFSP with my co-service coordinators at MRCDS soon in order to find out how they
approach it.
Quarterly Review #3Annual Review
Facilitating an annual review is the most time consuming meeting I do. The
preparation for, the actual meeting, and the work after the meeting all take longer than
any other meeting. This is a meeting that I was not formally trained on as we did not
have one during my August training period. I remember the first one I did, I felt
absolutely awful about. There were papers that needed to be signed that I didnt realize
and I had to get the PSP to have the parents sign them after the fact. It is particularly
difficult because the entire IFSP need to be renew, including Section III, Present
Abilities, Strengths and Needs. This part is very difficult for me because I do not see
the child on a regular basis; therefore, do not know the ins and outs of their
development. I rely on the PSP to complete an Ages and Stages Questionnaire with
Carlena Lowell
8

the family for me to pull information out of, and also to help fill in the blank spots when I
am renewing the IFSP after the meeting. I also need to update Section II, Familys
Routines and Priorities; therefore, at the meeting, I need to complete the papers from
the intake visit I have that ask questions about these things.
I completed this annual review with a mother at the childs place of child care.
Attending the meeting were myself, the PSP, the mother, the childs primary teacher,
and the family service advocate for the center. It is wonderful to be able to gain the
perspectives of multiple people who have large presences in the childs life. I have
previously mentioned annual reviews are considerably more in depth than the other
quarterly reviews as the entire IFSP must be renewed. Another perk for this particular
meeting is that beforehand, both the mother and the childs teachers were able to fill out
separate Ages and Stages Questionnaires. This gave me information about what the
child does at home as well as at school. I was happy to see fairly consistent answers
and scores, with minimal discrepancies between the two.
The meeting itself went fairly well. We discussed the childs strengths and
concerns, his likes and dislikes, his day to day activities at school and at home, and all
of the outcomes. We determined that three outcomes were met; he is now able to sit
when asked (for safety reasons), sign or say eat, more, and snack, and wait for a
drink in the morning without screaming. We also determined we will continue with three
outcomes which include the child stopping when asked (also for reasons of safety),
saying a word about what he is doing while engaged in play, and for mom to continue
obtaining information on potty training. We added two new outcomes regarding using a
verbal word for more and gaining five specific words related to food and drinks. We
Carlena Lowell
9

discussed the services related to frequency, setting, and providers. We also discussed
the transition from Part C to Part B and the mother signed Authorization to Share
Information with Part B. Finally, we discussed parental rights, and the mother signed all
the soon to be expired forms in need of signing (Authorizations to Share and/or Request
Information and the Notice of Receipt of Procedural Safeguards).
I sometimes struggle through meetings with chatty parents; I find it difficult to
keep people on track in conversations that derail into other topics. This meeting was no
exception; in fact, may have been one of the more difficult, yet most important, meetings
to keep on track. It was difficult given the amount of people in attendance, and this
mother is one who often goes on tangents in conversation as she has an anxiety
disorder, as well as ADHD. It was important because annuals tend to be very long
meetings and we were on a time crunch because the mother had to get to work. In the
end I was able to get everything done I needed to; however, the quality may have
suffered a bit after realizing the mother was pressed for time (this did not come up until
45 minutes into the meeting).
Facilitating annual reviews is one aspect of this position I continue struggle with.
They are incredibly in depth, I did not have hands-on training with them, and they do not
happen nearly as frequently as the other quarterly reviews, which means I do not get as
much practice with them.
I facilitated a six month review for a family. This is a family in which I was in
training when we received the referral; therefore, I have been with the family since the
Carlena Lowell
10

beginning of their time with CDS. I also completed a practicum with them as my focus
family last semester, so I have come to know this family very well. At this review, the
mom did not feel well but was leaving to go to work right after the early morning
meeting. The conversation we had was a bit difficult because I could tell this mom is
feeling a bit deflated with her sons development, in addition to being sick. He has
recently regressed with some of the signs he had learned within the past few months.
He is almost two and does not yet have any words, which is a serious point of
frustration for mom, the child, and the rest of the family. He has resorted to having
tantrums when he cannot get his point across, or is told no.
We determined in the meeting that one outcome had been met, as he is now
able to lie down while having his diaper changed. This was an issue because if mom
turned her back while changing him for just a few seconds, he would stand up on the
changing table; safety was an issue. The team is going to continue with two outcomes.
One of which is for the child recognizing and following directions when he is outside,
including parking lots and the familys large yard; this is also a safety issue the family
has been struggling with. The second is signing words for eat and drink to let his
family know when he is hungry and thirsty. We added one new outcome which is for
the child to participate in play times and down times by saying, signing, or gesturing a
word to indicate what he wants. Given moms new work schedule she wanted to reduce
the number of visits to bi-weekly. We also discussed services taking place both at
home and at his day care, so long as the day care provider is open to it, as he now
attends daycare four to five days per week while mom works.

Carlena Lowell
11

Quarterly Review #5Annual Review
It is always a wonderful feeling when a child is discharged from services because
they have met all their outcomes and the family and PSP are no longer concerned with
their development! Prior to last week this has only happened with one family since I
started this service coordinator position. Since last week it has happened twice! Last
week I facilitated a nine month review in which this happened, and today was an annual
with the same outcome. For all the hard news we deliver regarding developmental
delays found by evaluations, further evaluations, etc., it feels really great to be able to
have this discussion with a family. I must say though, better than that feeling, is
knowing how much this child developed with the aid of early intervention, and the
appreciation that is given by parents who have no more concern about their childs
development.
I facilitated an annual review in which the little girl was discharged from services.
When she was evaluated just over a year ago, she qualified based on her scores in
both motor and communication. She was not sitting up without adult support and did
not have any words and she was 11 months old. In the past year, with steady early
intervention services, and a lot of hard work by her foster parents, she is now walking
and has had a recent explosion of language. At this point, she is age-appropriate with
her skills, and there is no longer a need for early intervention services. In addition to
this child and her sister, the parents are fostering another child who is just shy of six
months old and recently qualified for our services. At this annual meeting, the mother
jokingly told me the only reason she was okay with the little girl being discharged was
Carlena Lowell
12

because she will still have the PSP (who happens to be the same for the two children)
coming to her home; a true testament to how much parents can love EI.

Carlena Lowell
13

Documentation
Written Notice

Carlena Lowell
14

Carlena Lowell
15

Carlena Lowell
16

Carlena Lowell
17

Advance Written Notice

Carlena Lowell
18

Carlena Lowell
19

IFSP Replacement Pages

Carlena Lowell
20

Amended IFSP Pages

Carlena Lowell
21

Carlena Lowell
22

Carlena Lowell
23

Carlena Lowell
24

Carlena Lowell
25

Carlena Lowell
26

Carlena Lowell
27

Carlena Lowell
28

Carlena Lowell
29

Carlena Lowell 513 Activity 2 Quarterly Reviews

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Carlena Lowell 513 Activity 2 Quarterly Reviews

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Carlena Lowell

SEI 513 Activity #2 Quarterly Reviews

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen