HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP:

A PILOT PROGRAM

Pennsylvania School for the DeafEarly Intervention

Lynette Mattiacci, BA, Early Intervention/Playgroup TeacherMeg Santoro, MS.Ed, Early Intervention Coordinator

Learning Objectives

� Participants will be able to assess their EI program andevaluate how to foster a collaboration with their community.

� Participants will be able to create a family needs assessmentwhich can help guide the development of a partnership with acommunity organization

� Participants will identify potential community partners

� Participants will be able to list the benefits of parent to parentconnections for families with an infant/toddler with a hearingloss

First Conversations Early Intervention Program

� Located in Philadelphia at thePennsylvania School for the Deaf

(PSD)

� Provides hearing sensitivity servicesfor families of infants and toddlerswith all degrees and type of hearingloss

� Provides unbiased information oncommunication options andresources so parents can makeinformed choices

� Provides services in the home,community, and in a two-year oldfamily centered-based program atPSD

First Conversations Team

� Teachers of the Deaf

� Infant Mental Health Consultant

� Cochlear Implant Consultant

� Social Worker

� ASL Specialist

� Audiologist

� Speech Therapists, LSLS Certified

Services Provided by First Conversations

Home Based

� Support families’ understanding of their child’s hearing loss

� Explore communication options such as:

� ASL

� Total Communication

� Listening/Spoken Language

� Facilitate the use of assistive technology

� Support the transition to educational programs at age three

� Provide access to resources to support their D/HH child in the community

Services Provided by First Conversations

Center Based

� Flexible 1-3 day program based on child’s language needs as determined by IFSP

� Provide ASL support to families and children by native language users

� Facilitate opportunities for children to have social interactions with peers who utilize the same language

� Weekly “Family Play Day”

� Provide families with parent coaching to optimize their child’s language development in the context of daily routines

� Allow access to other families that have D/HH children for parent/peer support

Importance of Parent-to-Parent Support

• Parent-parent support is anessential component of EarlyHearing Detection and Intervention(EHDI) programs for children withhearing loss

• The Joint Committee on InfantHearing (JCIH) identifies parent-parent support as an importantcomponent of EHDI programs

• Research shows the pressing needfor parental support and is anecessary part of the whole healthcare system and should be a centralportion of family-centeredprinciples*

Parent-to-Parent Support Framework

Home-School-Community Partnership: A Pilot Program

First Conversations Early Intervention

• Currently providing Home Based services to 42 families throughout Philadelphia

• 6 two-year old students attending center-based programming

• Weekly “Family Play Day” open to playgroup students and visiting EI families as part of a partnership agreement

• Parent discussion group/reflection• ASL classes• Individualized ASL and Spoken

Language Activity Groups• Center Time/Parent Coaching

“Parents, families, educators, and communities—there’s nobetter partnership to assure that all students pre-K to highschool have the support and resources they need to succeed inschool and in life.”

—National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel (2012)

Home-School-Community Partnership: Our Vision

Empower families with aninfant/toddler with hearing loss toaccess community resources andfacilitate parent to parent connectionsin their local neighborhoods.

Family Needs Assessment

Results of Family Needs Assessment

Top three responses: Event and Location� Planned Trips� Community Events� ASL classes

� Museum� Local library� Community Center

� Many were interested in volunteering, meeting other families with D/HH children and had extended family/friends that were interested in participating as well.

� Many had access to a vehicle, some used public transportation and the majority reported they were willing to travel within the city.

Home-School-Community Partnership: Planning/Implementation

� Securing location of first community event � Staff assignments

� Family Reminders� Transportation/Drivers� Check-in/Name tags� Refreshments/Beverages� Photographer/Videographer

� Family assignments� Greeter

� Securing Spanish interpreter and ASL interpreter � Transportation � Funding

� EI budget

First Community Event:Smith Playground/PlayHouse

Additional Support/Services

� Curb to curb transportation for EI families

� ASL and foreign language interpretation

� Refreshments provided

Smith Playground/PlayHouse Event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7eY8Ky3rz4

Reflection and Challenges

� Adequate Staff coverage

� T-shirts for students/families to wear on trip

� Advance notice for families with medically fragile children

� Clearly defined parent roles:� Strategies� Practice during Family Play Day

� Seasonal considerations� Focus on Summer, Spring, Fall

� Use of Reminder101 and email/newsletter

� Transportation� Taxi voucher� Cancellations

Future Plans and Events

� ASL story-time at various neighborhood libraries

� Share community/Deaf events� Adventure Aquarium “Communication Access Day”� Deaf Awareness Day at Phillies baseball and Flyers hockey games� Local university/college Deaf events ie University of Pennsylvania ASL club

annual ice skating event

� Community Center gatherings throughout the city

� Playground events

� Zoo and Museum trips� Currently seeking professional membership at Philadelphia Zoo and Please

Touch Museum

“Alone we can do so little;

together we can do so much.”

― Helen Keller

Resources

� Henderson, Rebecca J., Andrew Johnson, and Sheila Moodie. "Parent-to-Parent Support for Parents With Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Conceptual Framework." American Journal of Audiology23 (2014): 437-48.

� From the American Academy of Pediatrics:Statement of Endorsement: Supplement to the JCIH 2007 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Intervention After Confirmation That a Child Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

JOINT COMMITTEE ON INFANT HEARING, CarianneMuse, Judy Harrison, Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, Alison Grimes, Patrick E. Brookhouser, Stephen Epstein, Craig Buchman, Albert Mehl, Betty Vohr, Mary Pat Moeller, Patti Martin, Beth S. Benedict, Bobbie Scoggins, Jodee Crace, Michelle King, Alice Sette, and Beth Martin

Pediatrics 2013; 131:4 e1324-e1349; published ahead of print March 25, 2013, doi:10.1542/peds.2013-0008