June 1, 2023

We had two exciting visits right here in Middle Tennessee! 

Our first stop was the Middle Tennessee Seating and Positioning Clinic where we joined our Upper Cumberland and South Central Point of Entry offices to learn the variety of ways customized equipment can support children with disabilities. The Seating and Positioning clinics provide custom equipment and wheelchairs that can:  

Hear about the equipment Pearl uses to help her learn new skills, like crawling, by watching the video below.

Learn more about DIDD's Seating and Positioning or make a referral by visiting: https://www.tn.gov/didd/for-consumers/seating-and-positioning.html

Then, we headed to Easter Seals, one of our Middle Tennessee providers that serves children and adults. We had the opportunity to hear from Early Interventionists who interact with children and families in TEIS daily. They provided excellent feedback on how they partner with our Service Coordinators through IFSP teaming and shared comments from parents on the TEIS Extended Option.

DIDD’s application to receive funding from the federal government for Tennessee Early Intervention System for the fiscal year 2023 was posted on March 24, 2023 through May 23, 2023. 

The application indicated the expansion of our current TEIS Extended Option program for eligible children until the start of school following their 5th birthday. This is an expansion of the current TEIS Extended Option, which is available for eligible children until the start of school following their 4th birthday. This extension was included in Gov. Lee’s 2023-24 budget and approved by Tennessee's General Assembly, and is now pending final approval from the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). As noted in this application, DIDD has a target date of August 31, 2023 to submit our updated extended program policies to OSEP. We encourage everyone to stay up to date on our progress for the extended program through our Tri-Starts newsletter.   
 
The TEIS Extended Option Policy Statement and TEIS Extended Option Family Notification Document were posted on May 1, 2023 and will be available for viewing until July 3, 2023 on our website: www.tn.gov/didd/teis  
 
Click the following link to review the TEIS Extended Option Policy Statement: https://bit.ly/3HoqYwD   
 
Click the following link to review the TEIS Extended Option Family Notification Document: https://bit.ly/411lrDy  
 
We will hold three virtual public hearings to receive public comment. The first was held on May 18, 2023. The information for the remaining public hearings can be found below.  
 
Wednesday, June 14, 2023  
2 to 3 p.m. CST  
Click here to join the meeting 

Monday, June 26, 2023  
3 to 3:30 p.m. CST  
Click here to join the meeting 

The deadline to submit budget revisions for this fiscal year is June 15, 2023.     

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, please be sure all invoices have been sent to TEIS.Invoices@tn.gov.  Invoices should be submitted no later than 60 days from the month of service. For example, April invoices should be submitted no later than June.  

The deadline to submit Annual Reports is September 30, 2023. A template for the annual report can be found here: https://bit.ly/3MfALXw. Information on what should be provided in the annual report can be found in your contract. 

The State of Tennessee will be conducting end-of-year procedures for fiscal year 2023 starting July 1, 2023. This is a customary year-end closing procedure. Starting July 1, 2023, any invoices for fiscal year 2023 will not be able to be processed for payment until mid- July 2023. Please read below for information specific to your contract type.  

Early Intervention Resource Agencies (EIRAs) and other contracts except for vendors under contract #60327: Please submit your May and earlier invoices as soon as possible during the month of June. TEIS will attempt to get these in the payment process before payment processes are stopped on July 1. June invoices will be processed in July 2023 once payment processes resume. Please do not submit a partial invoice for June with a final to come at a later date. One invoice for June with all appropriate expenditures should be submitted no later than August 31, 2023.  

Vendors under contract #60327: Please continue to submit billing to the Fiscal Services Team using TEIS.Invoices@tn.gov. All billing will continue to be processed as normal. Agencies will receive an invoice report for May 1–31, 2023, and it is anticipated that payment should be made prior to payment processes being stopped. Agencies will also receive an invoice report for June 1-30, 2023; however, this invoice report will be delayed for processing until mid-July 2023.  

End-of-year processes should not affect invoices or invoice reports for July 2023. 

The next TEIS Provider Office Hours is Wednesday, June 14th at 10:30 a.m. Please pre-submit questions to Carly.Carlton@tn.gov by Monday, June 12th.  
   
Click here to join.

Several courses are now available in Relias for providers.   You must be a provider and have a Relias account in order to access the trainings. Go to your agency’s Relias website and sign-in with your username and password to see the training options.

Then you will need to search the course library and enter TEIS. All TEIS trainings will appear.  Pay close attention to the titles to determine which training to access.  All provider specific trainings will have provider in the title.   

Read more about the trainings below.

Child Development Basics for Providers: Birth to Five  

Child Development provides a general framework to guide parents, professionals, and others in understanding typical physical, emotional, and social development in young children and identifying milestones and next steps that occur as children continually grow and mature. This course will explore some general principles and milestones in child development from birth to age five. It will focus on how child development relates to TEIS eligibility, early intervention services, and dialogue with parents and caregivers on IFSP goals and child progress.   

Estimated Duration: 1 hour 

Introduction to TEIDS for Early Intervention Service Providers 

The Tennessee Early Intervention Data System, or TEIDS, is the statewide data system for Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS). This online course will provide a basic overview of TEIDS by reviewing:  the TEIDS home page, TEIDS reports and how they can be helpful to early intervention service providers, and some important reminders when using TEIDS. 

Estimated Duration: 30 minutes 

IFSP Teaming 

As a member of the IFSP team, you will work across several teams. Open lines of communication and engagement with other team members can lead to more success for the children and families you serve. In addition to providing a general overview of IFSP teams, this course will help you understand common responsibilities of IFSP team members and the vital role that communication plays in all aspects of IFSP teaming.  

Estimated Duration: 1 hour 

Check out our YouTube playlist of TEIS Professional Development videos here. 

Thanks to all who attended our Lunch and Learn last week! The slides from the presentation are below.  If you missed the training, watch the recording on our YouTube playlist linked above.

How to Identify Sensory Behaviors Slides and Handouts

Join us at our next Lunch and Learn: Motor Milestones and When to Do a “Shout Out” on June 21st from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST. Susan Anderson and Carrie Gross from LeBonheur Early Intervention and Development (LEAD) will provide an overview of the progression of motor milestones and how each one builds on the next. They will also discuss the importance of knowing when to reach out for support from other disciplines to address specific concerns-neurological, sensory, or equipment.  

Click here to join the meeting

Susan Anderson has been a physical therapist assistant (PTA) for 39 years, 35 of those years have been spent working in early intervention. Susan works for Le Bonheur Early Intervention and Development (LEAD) which provides early intervention using a transdisciplinary, routines-based approach. She has provided intervention in homes, daycares, and other intervention facilities.  She is also the Adaptive Equipment Specialist for Le Bonheur. She provides adaptive equipment support to LEAD, other Le Bonheur departments and other agencies in the community. She is also the Adaptive Equipment Specialist for the Le Bonheur Neuromuscular/CP Clinic. She has been a presenter for many years. She is a clinical instructor, guest lecturer and mentor for Southwest Tennessee Community College PTA program, University of Tennessee OT/PT program and the University of Memphis Biomedical Engineering program.

Carrie Gross is a physical therapist assistant (PTA) who has worked exclusively in early intervention for 27 years. Carrie works for LeBonheur Early Intervention and Development (LEAD) which provides early intervention using a transdisciplinary, routines-based approach. She provides physical therapy in natural environment settings mostly in rural county areas. She is a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM). She holds an Infant Mental Health Endorsement (IMH-E). She serves as a clinical instructor for Southwest Tennessee Community College PTA program. 

The book study on Pause & Reflect with its author, Dr. Dana Childress, had a change in date. Please pay close attention to the dates below. 

June 14th 2 to 3 p.m. CST 

June 28th 2 to 3 p.m. CST  

July 18th 2 to 3 p.m. CST  

July 23rd 2 to 3 p.m. CST

Only one representative per agency will be selected. Participants are required to purchase their own copy of the book and download the free study guide from Brookes Publishing.  All participants will be emailed the links to join the meetings. 

Thank you to all that attended our final webinar in the It's a Balance: Supporting Caregiver & Child Learning During (and after!) Early Intervention. 

The recordings for this series can be found on our TEIS Professional Development playlist. Click here.

We would like your feedback on the series! Please provide your feedback by completing the survey linked here: https://stateoftennessee.formstack.com/forms/dana_childress_webinar_series_evaluation. Certificates of attendance will be emailed after the survey has been completed. If you have any questions, please email Angie.Powell@tn.gov.

The following annual reports are now available on the Reports and Data section of the TEIS website:  

DIDD is SO excited to announce a new grant to create more inclusive parks and playgrounds in communities across Tennessee!

The department is providing up to $500,000 to local communities or nonprofit organizations to create inclusive parks, playgrounds, and other facilities. The goal is to provide opportunities for children and adults with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities to experience the physical, social, and emotional benefits of play alongside their peers without disabilities.

“I am proud to live in a community with an inclusive playground and have seen firsthand how it benefits my daughter and her friends,” said DIDD Commissioner Brad Turner, who lives in Smyrna. “I’m excited to be able to provide the opportunity of inclusive play to more children and families across the state.”

Applicants should be government entities or 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies, and all proposals should be open to the community, rooted in family involvement, community engagement, inclusion, and empowerment.

DIDD has $2.5 million in funding for this grant program. It is accepting applications for funding until June 30, 2023.

To learn more, visit: https://www.tn.gov/didd/for-consumers/inclusive-playground-and-facility-grant.html

5 higher education institutions across TN are awarded 2023 Tennessee Believes grant funding to expand opportunities for students with disabilities!

The awards are as follows:

- Chattanooga State Community College: $411,917 over three years to create the Tiger Access Program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The two-year program will focus on life skills, career exploration and job readiness for up to 9 students in its first year.

- Lipscomb University: $300,000 over three years to provide an Advanced Certificate Program for students in its IDEAL program. This would provide an additional third or fourth year of education while preparing students for independent living and employment.

- East Tennessee State University: $400,000 for three years to support the transition of students in its ACCESS ETSU program into competitive integrated employment and independent living. ETSU will partner with a community provider, Core Services of Northeast Tennessee, to provide transitional support, including community navigators and job coaches, to ensure long-term success post-graduation.

- University of Memphis: $375,000 for three years to create a three-year study, called PROOF, focused on expanding current inclusive higher education programs at the University. This includes offering credentials and training for individuals exiting the school system and the TigerLIFE program, piloting a study for expanding into Independent Living, and assessing the feasibility at adding new inclusive programs at other West Tennessee higher education institutions.

- The Union University EDGE Program: $10,000 for two years to provide groceries and supplies to its Cooking Lab program. The program helps teach EDGE students about cooking and nutrition, so students can gain independence and self-sufficiency while learning important social skills, such as teamwork and communication.

“It’s amazing to see how inclusive higher education programs have provided inclusion and access to students who previously thought college was out of reach for them,” said DIDD Commissioner Brad Turner. “I’m proud that DIDD has played a role in expanding access to more institutions across the state.”

Do you have a story you would like to share with the TEIS community? Send your newsletter ideas to Carly Carlton at Carly.Carlton@tn.gov.