Early Connections, now in its third funding year, is a directed model
demonstration project designed to create a comprehensive, sustainable
and family centered child find system in the state of New Hampshire.
The project is of national significance because it synthesizes a variety
of successful and innovative approaches for state and local child find
to address the pressing issue of "earliest possible" identification
of young children with disabilities or who are at risk for developmental
delays and their families. Since September 1, 1999, Early Connections
has created an infrastructure to (a) increase the number of eligible
young children and their families who are identified early and served
by Part C of IDEA, and (b) identify young children birth to age five
who are at risk of developmental delay and promote access to appropriate
services for them and their families.
The Early Connections model simultaneously draws upon and supports
the strengths of four state-level committees and six local teams in
diverse communities, ranging from Littleton and Claremont in the North
Country to Portsmouth and Dover on the Seacoast. Over the past year
the project has achieved the following significant outcomes:
- A child find "office" has been established at the Family
Resource Connection, an early childhood information and referral clearinghouse
at the NH State Library.
- From 1999 to 2001, the number and percent of infants (birth to
one year) served by Part C increased in four of six project regions,
and increased slightly statewide, attributable in part to project
team activities and in part to other factors.
- From 1999 to 2001, the number of children aged birth to three served
by Part C also increased in four of six project regions due to the
work of project teams and other factors. Increases ranged from 13%
to 66%.
- The number of young children screened for vision and hearing increased
through the efforts of project partners-Universal Newborn Hearing
Screening Program and Lions Club Operation Kidsight.
- Six educational/public awareness products were produced and disseminated.
- An impressive cohort of 130 individuals continues to work diligently
with the project to promote statewide access to hearing and vision
screening, parent-completed developmental screening, public awareness
and marketing, systemic change, and state and local collaboration.
This group includes family members, early intervention staff, childcare
providers, pediatricians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, Lions Club
leaders and members, educators, special education administrators,
nurses, a nurse practitioner, audiologists, Head Start staff, state
agency staff, a state legislator, mental health providers, a business
consultant, a researcher and others. Remarkably, this group includes
seven staff and consultants, while the remaining people contribute
their time to the project.
As reflected in the above examples, the project has set in motion numerous
efforts that have begun to show direct results for children and families,
i.e., an increase in the number of children identified. At the same
time, our systems change endeavors will continue to promote a comprehensive,
sustainable system of early identification in New Hampshire and demonstrated
approaches that may be useful to the field.
Products and technical supports:
Early Connections developed three brochures, two informational posters
and an interactive developmental wheel to encourage parents, healthcare
providers and educators to check out a child’s health or development.
Project staff:
Debra Nelson, Project Director
Ann Donoghue Dillon, Project Coordinator
Nancee Tracy, Educational Consultant
Julie Moser, Project Assistant
Contact information:
Debra Nelson, Project Director
Institute on Disability, University of NH
7 Leavitt Lane, Suite 101
Durham, NH 03824-3522
phone: (603) 862-0560
fax: (603) 862-0555
e-mail: djnelson@cisunix.unh.edu
Ann Donoghue Dillon, Project Coordinator
Institute on Disability, University of NH
7 Leavitt Lane, Suite 101
Durham, NH 03824-3522
phone: (603) 862-0793
fax: (603) 862-0555
e-mail: aedillon@cisunix.unh.edu
Nancee Tracy, Educational Consultant
Hood Center for Children & Families
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
One Medical Center Drive
Lebanon, NH 03756-0001
phone: (603) 653-1419
fax: (603) 653-1479
e-mail: nancee.tracy@dartmouth.edu
Julie Moser, Project Assistant
Institute on Disability, University of NH
7 Leavitt Lane, Suite 101
Durham, NH 03824-3522
phone: (603) 862-0793
fax: (603) 862-0555
E-mail: jmoser@cisunix.unh.edu
web site: http://iod.unh.edu/projects/early_childhood.html
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