Act Early Ambassador

Overview

Serve as the state Ambassador for the "Learn the Signs. Act Early" campaign to improve early identification practices and collaborate with state agencies and campaign partners to improve policy and programs for early identification in Virginia. This includes:

_{Parent-engaged Developmental Monitoring}

_{Parent-engaged developmental monitoring is the practice of the parent/primary caregiver observing how a chld plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves over time using a checklist of typical developmental milestones that most children reach by a certain age. If a child is not meeting miestones or if the parent has concerns, the next step is to ask for developmental screening from a doctor or other trained early childhood professional. Parent-engaged developmental monitoring increases parents' knowledge of child development, facilitates conversations about development, and improves children's developmental experiences (Gallagher et al, 2019).}

_{General Developmental and Autism Screening}

_{Developmental screening takes a closer look at a child’s development using a standardized, validated screening tool to determine whether a child’s development may be delayed and needs further assessment. The tools used for developmental and behavioral screening are formal questionnaires or checklists based on research. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children be screended for general development using standardized, validated tools for all children during regular well-child visits at 9, 18, and 30 months or whenever a parent or provider has a concern. Autism screening includes the use of standardized validated screening tool specifically for autism spectrum disorders (e.g., MCHAT-RF). AAP recommends screening all children for ASD at 18 or 24 months.}

_{Referral for Early Intervention Services}

_{The process of referral for early intervention services (before the age of 5) evaluates children to determine eligibility for intervention such as special education and related services. Referrals guide children at risk for or with a developmental delay or disability, like autism, into services to help promote optimal development.}

_{Receipt of Early Intervention Services for Children Birth to 5}

_{Receipt of early intervention services (before the age of 5) are those services and supports that are intended to help children birth to give with developmental delays or disabilities and their families manage developmental delays and promote optimal development. Specific services of interest are those “public services” delivered through Home Visiting. Early Head Start/Head Start, Part C, and Part B, 619 of IDEA.}

Major Activities

Maintain an approved Act Early Ambassador
Facilitate a state Act Early Team whose focus is to ensure alignment in Virginia with the four steps of early identification
Conduct presentations and disseminate materials about the "Learn the Signs. Act Early" campaign to reach families, early care, education, and medical professionals

Funding Source

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), with funding from the Centers for Disease Control

Contact

Dana Yarbrough, Principal Investigator/Project Director
Email: dvyarbrough@vcu.edu

Deana Buck, Virginia Act Early Ambassador
Email: deanabuck@gmail.com