A Few Tidbits of Information

Please inform your service provider or myself if you have not received your TC-40D tax form for Utah State Taxes.  This form allows you to count your child who qualified for early intervention during 2012 as two deductions on your state taxes.

Here are a few facts about early intervention services.

• Children who receive early intervention services have greater chances of success in school and throughout their lifetimes.  In fact, research shows that early intervention is more cost effective than - and reduces the need for - later interventions for some children.
• In accordance with the 1986 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), early intervention enhances the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities, minimizes potential developmental delays, and reduces educational costs to our society by minimizing the need for special education services as children reach school age.
• Davis Early Intervention is one of 15 programs state wide offering services to children from birth to three years with delays and disabilities.
• In Davis Early Intevention, we are currently serving 315 infants and toddlers.
• We received 586 referrals in the 2011 - 2012 fiscal year.
• We provided over 7,400 service visits for 794 children during the 2011 - 2012 fiscal year.
• 95%  of our services are provided in the home by service providers.
• On average 39% of children who receive early intervention services do not go on to need preschool special education services.
• We have 28 staff members including occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech/language pathologists, nurses, develomentalists, speech/language specialists, and a school psychologist.

We love working with your children and do our best to provide you with the knowledge you need to help your child succeed.

2 Things

Item #1:

We try hard to not spread illness to your families.  We have an illness policy in place to helps us protect your family.  During this time of illness, please follow the illness policy and cancel appointments if anyone in your home is sick.

Our staff works with many babies and toddlers who get sick very easily. Because of this

fact, it is very important for everyone to remember to cancel home or center visits if

ANYONE in your family is sick.

Please call to reschedule if any of the following symptoms are present:

     

• fever of 101 degrees or more
• stomach/flu-like symptoms such as throwing up or diarrhea
• very sleepy or tired; fussier than usual
• a sore throat
• bad cold
• coughing
• red eyes with discharge
• thick green mucus from the nose
• skin rash
• oozing fluid or pus
• head or body lice; pinworm or scabies
• mouth sores

If anyone in your family is showing any of the signs listed above or isn’t feeling well, call

to cancel the visit by 9:00 AM.

Please help us keep everyone healthy.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Early Learning Center Layton 801-402-5514

Early Learning Center Bountiful 801-402-5432

Early Learning Center Farmington 801-402-5408

  Item #2:

The state legislature will start looking at the Governor's Budget Proposal in the next week.  Please contact your Representative and Senator to let them know that you are concerned with the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program funding.  Here are some opportunities to meet with legislators to voice your concerns.

• United Way Day on the Hill is 2/21 from 9 - 1
• Utah Nonprofits Association Day is 2/14 from 9 - 1, UNA also hosts a legislative advocacy training on 2/7.  You can find information on both events at utahnonprofits.org.
• Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities Reception with Legislators is on 2/7 from 4 - 5:45.  We can help LCPD by contacti te legislators in our program's districts and inviting them to the reception.  It will be held i teh State Capitol Rotunda.  RSVP by Friday, 2/1 by phone a 801 463-1592 or email trouse@usilc.org.
• If you are unable to attend any of these events, please write a couple of paragraphs about how the Early Intervention Program has helped you and your child (include a picture if you would like) and send them to me so I can get these stories in the hands of the legislators.  (mzeschke@dsdmail.net)

To locate the names and contact information for your State Senator and House of Representatives Member, go to the internet website http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp and enter your address. 

I was able to meet with Representative Stephen Handy last week and explain what our program does and what we are requesting in the budget.  He was very receptive to the information I shared with him and will advocate for us in any way he can.  The more Senators and Representatives we are able to reach the better our chances are to be included in the budget.  Remember, we are only asking for enough funds to maintain our programs - not to increase our current budgets.

With the current instability in our economic future, this will be a very difficult year to have our funding request included in the budget.  Please help us get the word out that the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program is vital in helping families and children with delays and disabilities.

Opportunities to Spread the Word

'Tis the season of talking to the Legislators about the budget!  We will be having a parent panel with state legislators to help educate them about the service early intervention provides on Friday, Janary 18th.  If you would like to be included, please let me know.  I would like to have as many family stories to share with them as I can get - so if you are not able to attend, please shoot me a quick email with a couple of paragraphs about how early intervention has helped your family.

Here are some other legislative events that would provide opportunities to inform the politicians about how early intervention has helped your family:

• United Way Day on the Hill is February 21 from 9:00 to 1:00
• Utah Nonprofits Association Day on the Hill is February 14 from 9:00 to 1:00. More information at utahnonprofits.org.
• Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities Reception with Legislators is on February 7 from 4:00 to 5:45 pm in the State Capitol Rotunda.  If you wish to attend, please RSVP by contacting Trisha Rouse at the Utah Statewide Independant Living Council by Friday, February 1st at 801 463-1592 or by email at trouse@usilc.org.  Please invite your Legislators to attend.  To locate the names and contact information for your State Senator and House of Representatives Member, go to le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistric.jsp and enter your address. 

If you are planning to attend any of these events, please let your service provider know and they can get you a Baby Watch Early Intervention button to wear.

You can also contact your Representative or Senator to let them know how you feel about providing funding for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program, if you can't make it to any of the events.  We will be sending family stories and other information to them as well.

We appreciate your support and any help you can give to ensure the state early intervention program is in the budget so we can keep providing the services your children need.

Cabin Fever

Is your little one getting cabin fever now that the excitement of the holidays is over and the cold has set in?  You can find a lot of activities to do with your litte ones on the internet, but here are a few to get you started.

Choose a theme for the day.  It can be a color or a shape or a favorite toy or game.  Try to incorporate that theme throughout the day.  For example, if your theme is blue you can all wear blue, look for things that are blue to play with, put blue food coloring in milk to drink, color with blue, etc.  If you choose a favorite toy, you can choose things that the toy might like to do.  This can be a way to teach your child colors or shapes one at a time, as well.

Let your child help you in the kitchen.  They love to be a part of whatever you are doing.  Let them help measure ingredients for cookies or set them up with flour in a cookie sheet to play with while you make dinner.  Sensory play allows toddlers to explore and learn about their environment.  You can provide a variety of textures for your child (one at a time) with things already in your kitchen - flour, popcorn kernels, rice, dried beans, pudding, jello, etc.

Make a cave out of couch cushions and blankets then have a picnic or a story time in the cave.

Bundle up for a little snow time outside.  Your child may not remember the snow from last winter and this will be a "new" experience for them.  Enjoy the season through their eyes.  You can fill a water bottle with water colored with food coloring and let your child "paint" the snow.

Go to the library for story time then pick out a few books to read with your child.

Get recipes for play dough off the internet (there are several recipes on www.momswhothink.com) and create a winter scene with your child - or make a zoo or whatever you can think of!

Help your child pull out all the pots and pans and make music together using whatever you can find.

Follow your child's lead to create activities that you can enjoy together.  Cabin fever can be cured for the whole family with a little creativity an imagination.

Happy New Year!!!

Because we enjoyed seeing you at the community events that we attended last month and we heard that so many of you enjoyed it as well, we decided that we would provide a list of free community events each month on the blog.  Hopefully you will be able to take advantage of some of these events and maybe we will see you there!

Library Story Times:

Farmington:
Tuesdays at 2:00pm Open to everyone (September - July)
Thursdays at 10:30am for Preschool and Toddler (year round)

Bountiful:
Tuesdays at 7:00pm Open to everyone (September - May)
Wednesdays at 10:30am Preschool and Toddler (September - July)
Wednedays at 1:30pm Open to everyone (year round)
Thursdays at 10:30am Preschool and Toddler (September - May)
Fridays at 10:30am Preschool and Toddler (September - May)

Centerville:
Wednesdays at 10:30am Preschool and Toddler (September - July)

Clearfield:
Wednesdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)
Wednesdays at 1:30pm Open to everyone (September - July)
Thursdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)

Kaysville:
Tuesdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)
Wednesdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)
Fridays at 11:30am Open to everyone (September - July)

Layton:
Tuesdays at 11:00am Open to everyone (year round)
Wednesdays at 11:00am Open to everyone (September - July)
Wednesdays at 1:30pm Open to everyone (Septemer - July)
Thursdays at 11:00am Open to everyone (September - July)

Syracuse:
Tuesdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)
Wednesdays at 10:30am Open to everyone (September - July)
Wednesdays at 1:30pm Open to everyone (September - July)

Three Little Monkeys also has story time on Wednesdays at 10:30 and 11:30am.

Family Skate Night will be on Monday, January 21st from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Weber County Ice Sheet (NW corner of the Dee Event Center Parking Lot). Admission is free.  You can rent skates for $1/person.  Refreshments will be provided.  For information, call 801 336-3900.

The 6th Annual Clearfield City Storytelling Festival will be held on Saturday, January 26th at 6:30pm at the Clearfield Community Arts Center (140 East Center St.).  Come experience firsthand what storytelling is all about!

Several cities in Davis County are also providing free tax assistance for qualifying families.  Check your city calendar for information.

We are providing all families with children who qualified for early intervention services during 2012 with a tax form called a TC-40D.  This tax form allows you to count your child with a delay or disability as 2 deductions on your state taxes for 2012.  If you did not receive a TC-40D from your service provider (if currently in early intervention) or by mail by January 31st, please contact me (Mandy 801 402-5403).  This form is not sent in with your taxes.