A Community Resource

Help Me Grow is a resource we have recently developed a working relationship with.  They provide information about other resources, development and age appropriate activities for children.  Community Connections   -   February 2016 In 2015 Help Me Grow Utah... Connected with 1662 new families across the state of Utah Helped families complete 3010  developmental screenings Made 6471 referrals to community and informational resources New mom's often ask  "what will happen to my body during pregnancy!?"  Check out our blog for an overview of all the changes throughout pregnancy. "Be to parents what you want them to be to their children" On Feb. 3rd and Feb. 7th,   most  public television stations will broadcast  The Raising of America-Signature Hour  on their WORLD Channel   during prime time. From Feb. 1st - 15th, anyone can  stream the entire series at  www.raisingofamerica.org -- for free.  It's that time of year! Send families to utahtaxhelp.org to get help filing their taxes or  to file for free online How does Help Me Grow Utah support families? Check out this mom's story! Give Kids a Smile Free dental exams, x-rays, and cleanings for children 15 and under. February 5th, Roseman Dental Clinic. Click here for full details. Family Valentines Dance Join Tooele City for this family event for all ages! February 5th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm. For more details click here. Family Autism Day at Discovery Gateway Free admission for all children and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. Tuesday February 9th, 12:00 - 8:00 pm. Click here for details. Safe Kids Fair Fun for the whole family! Saturday February 27th, 9:00am - 6:00pm. South Towne Expo Center. Find more details by clicking here. Click here for more events across the state Curious about our new look? Help Me Grow Utah has expanded our services and updated our marketing. Find all the info here! Help Me Grow Utah | 801-691-5322 | helpmegrow@unitedwayuc.org | helpmegrowutah.org STAY CONNECTED:

More Legislative News

The $2.5M request for funding has moved to the Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC).  All the subcommittees have presented their budget recommendations in EAC meetings.    

Now is the time to reach out to EAC members and ask them to support this request.  We’re going to rely heavily on support from programs and EI parents who are the constituents of these key committee members in the leadership positions. 

Chair-Sen Hillyard – Up to 3, Summit

Chair-Rep Sanpei – Provo PEIP, KOTM

Vice Chair-Sen Stevenson – Weber, Davis

Vice chair-Rep Dee—Weber, Davis 

If you refer to the attached list, you’ll see the bulk of the EAC members are from Davis and DDI.  Thank you in advance to the parents who take time to contact these committee members. 

  

EAC members really need to hear from EI parents & community stakeholders in their districts. Here are some simple instructions for contacting your Legislators:

1)      Email and/or call members of the EAC from your program area and identify yourself as a constituent IN THE SUBJECT LINE. 

2)      Thank legislators for their past support and be sure to reference BABY WATCH EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM instead of the Davis Early Intervention Program.

3)      Ask legislators to prioritize the full funding request for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

4)      Send individual instead of group emails to committee members.

5)      The link to email addresses and phone numbers can be found at

 http://le.utah.gov/asp/interim/Commit.asp?Year=2016&Com=APPEXE

Having parents communicate with Committee members has made a huge impact on the decisions that have been made so far.  Please continue to contact your House and Senate Representatives and encourage them to speak up for Baby Watch Early Intervention!

Good News from the Legislature

Good news!  The Social Services Appropriations subcommittee voted to prioritize the $2.5M ongoing for EI. This fantastic news is the direct result of a collective effort between EI programs around the state and the wonderful families and children we serve. The request now moves on to Executive Appropriations where we have more work to do, but this is a real victory for our program. 

Just know that together, this team of providers and the passionate families we serve are an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

Thank you all for contacting your Legislators and sharing your stories.  I will continue to keep you updated.

Legislative Update

It’s official. We are on the agenda for Wednesday 2/10!  Senator Luz Escamilla has agreed to propose that the request for state wide funding for Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs be considered by the Social Services Appropriations Committee.  This request will be heard at a committee meeting on Wednesday, February 10th.  

If you haven't written to your legislators, members of the Social Services Appropriations Committee or members of the Executive Appropriations Committee, please do so this week.  Your letter does not need to contain a lot of facts and figures.  It just needs to let them know your story and how early intervention has affected your family.  Please remember to thank them for their support and ask them to support the $2.5M funding request for direct services.  Please refer to the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program instead of Davis Early Intervention so they can link your letter the the correct funding request.

Our legislators have let us know that families are contacting them.  Let's continue to keep the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program on their minds while they make their important decisions regarding funding for Utah.

Thank you for all you do!

Three Reminders and a Request

Reminder #1

Please remember to respond to the survey that was emailed out last month.  We have only received 23 responses out of about 300 families.  If you don't know where yours is, let me know and I will send you another one.  You can just reply to the email that was sent - no need to print out the survey and send it in.  I will take them however I receive them!

If you have already responded - THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

Reminder #2

Everyone one who has a child that was in early intervention in 2015 should have a TC 40D tax form to keep with your records.  If you do not have the form yet, either let me know or let your service provider know and we will get one to you!

Reminder #3

The legislature is in session!  If you have not yet done so, please contact your legislator to thank them for past support of the Baby Watch Early Intervention Programs and ask them to continue to provide the funds necessary to service the growing number of children in our program.  Last week's blog has a lot of information on this.


Request

I would like to be able to share our family's stories with the legislators all year long.  Please email me your family story about your experience with early intervention so I can send them on.  (Hint: if you write to your legislator, you can just CC me at mzeschke@dsdmail.net and I will have your story!)

From all of us at Davis Early Intervention - We LOVE working with you and your children!  We meet amazing people on a daily basis and we want to thank you for all the wonderful things you are doing for your little ones!

Legislature is in Session

The need for early intervention services in Utah is growing, but state funding for programs remains flat.  We need your help!  Without increased funding to serve the growing number of infants and toddlers referred to Early Intervention, the quality and frequency of services will decrease and children will not receive the support they need.  The number of infants and toddlers referred to Utah's Early Intervention Programs increased by 12% from 2013 to 2015.  And, in the past 6 months, referrals for Early Intervention services have increased by 38%!  Our parent organization, Utah Baby Watch Early Intervention Program, submitted a request for additional funding for our program be on the Governor's budget.  Unfortunately, the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program's request for funding was excluded from the Governor's budget recommendations for SFY2017.  Programs cannot continue to serve more and more children without additional resources.

Final budget decisions will be made during the legislative session which began January 25.  Please contact legislators and ask them to support funding for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program (BWEIP).  Davis County Legislators sitting on the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee and Executive Appropriations Committee are listed below or you can find your legislator at http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp.

Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee:

• Paul Ray, House Chair
• Clinton, Sunset area
• pray@le.utah.gov
• Ray Ward
• Bountiful area
• rayward@le.utah.gov
• Todd Weiler
• North Salt Lake, Bountiful, Centerville area
• tweiler@le.utah.gov

Executive Appropriations Committee:

• Jerry Stevenson, Senate Vice Chair
• Layton, Clinton, Sunset, West Point area
• jwstevenson@le.utah.gov
• Brad Dee, House Vice Chair
• HAFB area
• bdee@le.utah.gov
• Stuart Adams, Majority Whip
• Layton, HAFB, Kaysville, Fruit Heights area
• jsadams@le.utah.gov
• Brad Wilson, Majority Assistant Whip
• Kaysville, Layton area
• bradwilson@le.utah.gov

When contacting your legislator by phone or email, be sure to include the following information.

• Your name, identify yourself as a constituent
• Where you live by city or area of the state
• Explain that your child has received early intervention services and thank your Representative or Senator for their support of the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program. Be sure to reference the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.  If you mention Davis Early Intervention, legislators won't know which program you are referencing.  
• Briefly tell your story.  Explain how Early Intervention has benefited your child and your family and why funding for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program is critical.  Tell them how Early Intervention services have been an investment in your child's future.  A sample letter template is included below to help you get started writing.

Be brief and clear in your correspondence and thank them for their time and consideration!

Dear Representative (Name), or Dear Senator (Name),

My name is ________.  I am one of your constituents, and since you are my local legislator, I want you to hear the story of my child/family's experience with the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.  This services has positively affected us by . . . . (Explain how Early Intervention helped your child and your family, any positive outcomes and what you learned.  Explain how your family would have been impacted if Early Intervention services weren't accessible).

We are grateful for these services in our community and wanted you to hear about our success.  Please contact me if you would like to learn more about the positive impact this program has had on my family and its services in our community.  My phone number is _____________.

Thank you and may you have a pleasant and successful legislative session.  

Your voice really can make a difference!!!  Thank you in advance for your time and support.

Keeping Our Families Safe

Unfortunately we need to start thinking about things like this so we can keep our families safe.  I hope this information is helpful in relieving some stress and I hope this information is something you never need to use.  This is a re-post from http://amotherfarfromhome.com/ 

How to Protect Your Children in an Active Shooter Situation

    

Begin Praying Over Your Child in all areas today!

I’ve never been involved in a shooting, nor have my children. I’m not ex-SWAT or part of a tactical response team. I didn’t have SEAL training, can’t kill someone with my bare hands, and don’t have a concealed carry permit.

I’m a mom with little kids who goes out in public and wants us to all come home alive. And I think you are too.

Unfortunately, this is a topic we can’t shy away from or pretend isn’t relevant. I already worry too much, so believe me, this is not a fun exercise. It is, however, a necessary one. This is not a fear mongering post, but it’s a fact today there are more mass shootings than ever before. Taking a few minutes to mentally prepare could be the difference between getting your family to safety or not. It is that simple.

Things that work against us

Normalcy bias | Our brains are hard-wired to think things are normal. This is why bystanders and witnesses will stand frozen instead of moving into action. The brain can take a while to adjust to the idea something odd is going on. Instead of gunshots, a person might even think it’s fireworks or a car backfiring (even if you’re inside a building) because that’s still more likely than a shooter (source).

Help is not likely | In this FBI report, nearly 60% of shooter incidents were over before police arrived. In fact, most shootings end in 2 minutes or less. This is why you must know what you’ll do before you get into that situation. You are likely the only person who can save yourself and your children.

Indecision is a bad decision | Many people respond to dangerous situations by freezing. This isn’t because they are stupid or cowardly, but because we are in shock and not mentally prepared.

We operate in a herd mentality | Research has shown that when placed in unknown situations, we’ll follow the lead of anyone who appears to know what they’re doing. In an active shooter situation, this is unhelpful because we’ve already established that the large majority will freeze. The key to survival in an active shooter situation is to act fast.

The #1 thing that will increase your family’s chance of survival

It’s not locked doors, exit locations, or how fast you run that will determine your chance of survival although those will help. It is knowing what you would do before you ever get into the situation. Like many things in life, it’s about mental preparation.

The reason the military and special ops train frequently is because it’s through training and preparation they make the right choices instinctively. If you have never considered the best way to respond in a shooter (or any other type of emergency) situation, you are not at all likely to respond in a way that will increase your survival.

General tips for being out with small children

If in doubt, leave quickly | If you walk into an establishment – say a bank or a gas station – and you immediately sense something off, get out. Don’t screw around and second guess yourself, just leave. You can get a fountain drink somewhere else, it isn’t worth it. The more we practice using our discernment, the sharper it becomes.

Make sure your children listen to you | I cannot stress enough that your children need to obey you. If your children don’t mind you, now is the time to fix it.

Have a code word | Create a word your children recognize that signals danger. Danger or emergency are easy and clear. Without being overly scary, teach your children when you use this word they must listen to you carefully and follow your lead.

Practice handling all your kids at once | I have a 4-year-old, 3-year-old, 2-year-old, and an 11-month-old. It would not be easy, but the best way for me to get everyone out of harm’s way quickly is to hold two kids and pull two kids. By holding on to two children’s hands (or their wrists) in one of my hands then using my other arm to secure the youngest two in my arms, I can move/pull them all. It will be hard, cumbersome, and painful for myself and the youngest two, but it’s better than the alternative.

Get very familiar with your baby equipment | If you have a baby carrier, you’re good to go. If you have a child in a stroller, you’ll have to determine if it’d be quicker to take the child out of the stroller and run or to leave them and run with the stroller. If there are curbs, sidewalks, roads, and doorways, out of stroller is best. If it’s a straight shot on a flat road, you might try your hand. Either way, be able to quickly release your child from their seat.

Be between the children and danger | Without getting paranoid or going overboard, position yourself and family near walls where danger won’t occur behind you. Being near exits and steering clear of obstacles will allow you to react by putting your children behind (or in front) of you and moving quickly.

Basic best practices

Being alone in an active shooting situation will be different than having your children with you, which is the point of this post. That said, the basic principles remain the same. There are essentially three options, and experts agree that your chances of survival increase when you attempt them in this order, as is possible.

Run > Hide > Fight

Run

Experts agree, hands down, the best thing you can do to increase your family’s chance of survival is to get as far away from the shooter as possible. Even the Department of Homeland Security suggests, “If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises.”

This is logical common sense, and yet… most people do not run. Whether it is normalcy bias, fear, or shock, it’s difficult to say. Knowing in advance the best thing you can do is run will help you react appropriately if you ever find yourself in this devastating situation.

Know your exits on transportation, in a restaurant, or in a larger building. If a shooter is in the front of a store, run towards the back, through the kitchen or employee entrance, and outside. We are programmed those are “keep out” areas, but in an emergency crisis anything goes.

If it is an open area, run in a zig-zag pattern away from the shooter until you can get far enough away or take cover. Don’t try to gather your things and don’t stop for others who are not moving. Try to encourage others to follow you, but just go. Emergency responders do the same and though you’d like to show compassion for others who are down, the best chance your children have for survival is to get as far away from the shooter as possible.

Remember, shooting a moving target is difficult even for an experienced shooter. Many mass shooters have little to no experience with guns so if you run fast, zig-zag, and take cover behind things that stop weapons like pillars, vending machines, or bookcases (source) you have a good chance of survival.

Hide

If running would require you to be in open air for an extended period of time with your children exposed, you may choose to hide. If it is running or standing still, run. If it’s running or hiding, you’ll have to make a judgment call.

When running isn’t an option because the shooter is blocking the exit or you can’t jump out of a third-floor window, the next best option is to hide. The goal is to be out of the shooter’s view and behind something that will stop bullets. Glass doors, windows, or flimsy structures will not provide safety from bullets. After finding a spot, position yourself in front of your children so there are multiple barriers between the shooter and your children. Think Secret Service here.

Try to hide behind something solid, if possible. If you can go in a room and lock the door, do that. Mass shooters historically look for easy victims, and will not spend an excess amount of time trying to get in a locked room.

If you go into a room and lock the door, immediately barricade the room with whatever you can find. Tables, chairs, dressers, filing cabinets, whatever you can physically move. Turn off the lights, be quiet, and don’t let your cell phone ring. As I mentioned in my article on what every mother needs to know in case of an intruder, don’t answer the door or respond to the shooter. Unless you can confirm it is the authorities, do not open the door.

If the shooter passes you by, and you were able to see this from your hiding spot, make a run for it if the coast is clear. Again, getting as far away as possible from the intruder is always the best idea.

Fight

Now, if you have small children with you I don’t suggest this. However, research shows that unarmed bystanders can subdue or chase away an assailant if they are in numbers (source). Even a trained shooter (which most mass shooters are not) would not be able to fend off people from every side. If you have small children with you, fighting would require leaving them unattended which is not acceptable. If running or hiding are not options, other adults in your party may want to engage, but stay close to your kids and shield them.

Finally, Get off your phone and watch your surroundings

The best thing you can do besides thinking in advance about your plan is to be aware of your surroundings. Don’t walk around on your phone or oblivious to your environment. Everyone involved in the mass shootings thought things were normal until it was too late. Look around you. Observe. Pay attention. Be wise.

I am sending you out like sheep among the wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes, and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

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 Recap

• Think in advance what you’d do. Imagine it and act it out in your mind.
• Be aware and observant.
• If in doubt, get out.
• Run if possible, hide if not.