WHAT IS THE BIRTH TO THREE PROGRAM?

 The Illinois school for the Visually Impaired (ISVI) Birth to Three program provides early intervention services for families whose children, from birth to age three, are visually impaired or blind.

These services include:

• Functional vision assessment
   
• Individualized developmental assessment
   
• In-home or daycare sessions with the child and parent(s) or caretaker
   
• Specialized equipment and toy-loaning service
   
• Support and resources for parents, siblings, grandparents, and other Early Intervention therapists
   
• Professional services from ISVI specialists in the areas of Orientation and Mobility, Speech and Language, Assistive Technology and Low Vision
   
• Transition support and services for children entering the public schools or other preschool programs

Early intervention services for infants and toddlers who are visually impaired or blind are essential for their success in a sight-oriented world.  Adaptations utilized by children and their families enable them to reach important developmental milestones.

How much does it cost?
The ISVI Birth to Three program is free to Illinois families living within 100 miles of Jacksonville. The program is funded through the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services.

For more information or to make a referral, please call:
217-479-4400 (voice)
217-470-4415 (TTY)
217-479-4479 (Fax)
800-919-5617 (Toll Free-Voice)
OR
E-mail Joni Frisch  217-479-4478

OR Satellite Office:
E-mail Sara Edwards (Sara.Edwards@illinois.gov)
217-722-9365
108 Pleasant Lane
Hudson, IL 61748

OR Satellite Office:
E-mail Julia Bowman (bowmanjulia@yahoo.com)
812-760-2400

The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI), established in 1849, is a residential/day school for students who are blind or visually impaired. Located in Jacksonville, ISVI provides accredited educational and related services for children from birth to three years of age through preschool, elementary and high school.

All educational and social programs are designed to prepare students for successful living as independent, self-supporting citizens.

Hearing and Vision Connections:  125 Webster Avenue Jacksonville, IL 62650
Toll free: 877-731-8184, Fax: 217-479-4328  For more information on
Birth To Three Functional Vision Screening, follow this link.

Illinois School for the Visually Impaired is under the jurisdiction of
Illinois Department of Human Services
Division of Rehabilitation Services

Programs, activities and employment opportunities in the Illinois Department of Human Services are open and accessible to any individual or group without regard to age, sex, race sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin, or religion. The department is an equal-opportunity employer and practices affirmative action and reasonable accommodation programs.

Follow this link to get more details on ISVI's Parent-Infant Institute.

HEARING AND VISION EARLY INTERVENTION OUTREACH UPDATE

Click here to see the HV/EIO links and resources page. You will find many useful information including events.

August 18, 2011

From the Coordinator

Hello Everyone!

Today marks the first day of the last year of high school for my youngest son.
Patrick entered Early Intervention back in 1990 and I've been involved with Early Intervention ever since! 

One thing's for sure: There's been lots of changes along the way, both as a parent, and as an Early Interventionist!

Here at the HV/EIO office, we've also been adapting to program and staff changes. I find myself still answering the phone, "Hearing and Vision Connections".  I'm not quite used to the new program name but as with most things, it's getting easier with time.  We've been busy updating materials and scheduling events for the year. I hope you'll find some opportunities below that will be to your benefit. Watch our website and Facebook for more information on all of these events as details unfold.

As always, contact us if we can be of assistance to you related to infants and toddlers with vision and/or hearing loss!
Contact information is at the end of this update.
Gail Olson

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Functional Vision and Hearing Screening Training: Save the Dates
October 19, 2011 Thompson Center, Chicago
November 10, 2011 Fairview Heights (site TBD)
February 1, 2012 Springfield (site TBD)
March 14, 2012 Batavia Library, Batavia Cosponsor CFC #4 9:30 – 3:30

All sessions are from 9:00-3:00 (except for March 14). Lunch on your own. EI Credit in Assessment.

Description:
In vision, participants will learn how and who to screen as well as who is at risk of vision impairments, warning signs, types of screening tools, and when/how to refer for further assessment/services. In hearing, participants will learn the types and causes of hearing loss, its impact on development, communication and language use of a screening questionnaire, when/how to screen, and when/how to refer for further assessments and services. Click here for the printable version of this information in pdf format

Register on line at www.morgan.k12.il.us/isd/hveio
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Designated Service Coordinator Webinar Training
Part I: December 8, 2011, Hearing, by Nancy Scott
Part II: December 15, 2011, Vision, by Mindy Ely
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. both days
Description: This is a two-morning webinar with in-depth information about supporting families of infants and toddlers with hearing and/or vision loss. You are registering for both mornings.
Target audience: Designated Service Coordinators (DSC’s) who have not previously taken the face-to-face DSC training held June 2009 or May 2010. There is no phone in option for this Webinar. Audio set up requires built in or external speakers and microphone or headset. The webinars will be recorded.
Registration: Online at www.morgan.k12.il.us/isd/hveio Go to Training>Current Calendar>December>click on Dec 8. Limit 24. Those attending form the same CFC are encouraged to log in at one station.
Hand outs and EI credit: The training will use Hearing and Vision Service Guidelines as the required hand out for this training. 4 hours total EI credit.
(Both sets of Service Guidelines are currently being updated). Additional information about handouts and login will be emailed along with registration confirmation.
Prerequisite: DSC’s complete two 20 minute on-line awareness modules as a prerequisite for this training: Service Coordinator Training: Serving Families of Children with Vision or dual Sensory Loss and Service Coordinator Training: Serving Families of Children with Hearing Loss. Links to all hand outs, power points and prerequisite trainings are located at the HV/EIO website under the Designated SC tab: www.morgan.k12.il.us/isd/hveio/dsc/dsc.aspx
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Parent (Hearing) Conferences! Save the Dates
South of Eighty Conference for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
November 5, 2011
Jacksonville

North of Eighty Conference for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
March 24, 2012
Rockford

South of Seventy Conference for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
April 14, 2012
Mt. Vernon

Click here for the printable version of this information in pdf format

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Parent (Vision) Conferences! Save the Dates
Southern Illinois Conference for Parents of Children with Vision Loss
Mt. Vernon Primary Center, Mt. Vernon
March 17, 2012

Northern Illinois Conference for Parents of Children with Vision Loss
Center for Sight and Hearing, Rockford
April 21, 2012

Click here for the printable version of this information in pdf format

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Early Intervention Hearing and Vision Service Guidelines
Both sets of guidelines are currently being updated by The DHS
Bureau of Early Intervention and Hearing and Vision Early Intervention Outreach. Once finalized, those will be distributed to CFC's, Designated Service Coordinators, and posted on the HV/EIO website .
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FACEBOOK
We can be found on Facebook at Hearing and Vision Early Intervention Outreach, or
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearing-and-Vision-Early-Intervention-Outreach/128802893816523. You do
not have to be a Facebook member to access our page if you just click on the link. Of course, we'd
love to have you click "like" and join our page so that you can access the information that is posted almost daily.
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SHARING A VISION
Come visit us our exhibit at the Sharing a Vision Conference in September!
September 26-28 in Springfield
www.sharingavision.org
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6th Annual Family Leaders Conference

Date: April 28, 2012
Location: Spaulding Pastoral Center, Peoria, IL
Featuring an exciting new presentation from Paula Kluth.
Watch for Registration Information, coming soon!
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IAER Preconference by HV/EIO for DTV's  February 15, 2012, Shaumburg
IAER Conference: Focus on the Future
February 16-17, 2012
Call for Papers: http://il.aerbvi.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4
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ITHI Preconference By HV/EIO for DTH's February 29, 2012, Springfield
ITHI Conference:  Diversity Within the Classroom
March 1-3, 2012
Conference Website http://www.ithi.org/
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11th Annual National EHDI/ Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Conference
March 4-6, 2012
St. Louis, Missouri
http://www.ehdiconference.org/
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Parent Infant Institute
Illinois School for the Deaf
June 10 - 15, 2012
Jacksonville

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Parent Infant Institute:  Opening Doors
Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
June 6-9, 2012
Jacksonville
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Positions Available:
There are 2 vacancies for paid positions with the national organization, American Association
of Home Based Early Interventionists: Newsletter Editor and Website Content Coordinator.
Both are part time and I think they can be performed from a distance. This is a wonderful organization and great people to work with. Please feel free to distribute to others throughout Illinois.
Website:
www.aahbei.org
Sample AAHBEI newsletter:
http://www.aahbei.org/images/April-2010-NewsExchange.pdf

Editor of the AAHBEI News Exchange (Part time position)
The AAHBEI News Exchange is an 8‐page newsletter that is published four times per year. The newsletter editor along with the AAHBEI Governing Board generates a list of topics for the newsletter. It is then the responsibility of the editor to contact potential writers for articles pertaining to the topics selected, obtain permission to reprint articles related to the topics, and contribute small pertinent articles.
The position requires the editor to have excellent editing skills, and a background in early intervention is essential.
To apply for the position, please send a letter of interest, your vita, a sample of your writing, and the names of 3 references. Please fax or e‐mail the information to: Fran Payne at fran.payne@usu.edu or fax to (435) 797‐
5580. If you have any questions, please call 1‐800‐396‐6144.

Website Content Coordinator (Part time position)
The Website Content Coordinator is responsible for keeping the AAHBEI Website current. It involves finding current information about early intervention to be placed on the Website, checking the Website links to ensure that they are working properly and finding new links for conferences, pertinent information, etc.
The position requires the Website Content Coordinator to have a background in early intervention with Internet navigating skills.
To apply for the position, please send a letter of interest, your vita, and the names of 3 references. Please fax or email the information to: Fran Payne at fran.payne@usu.edu or fax to (435) 797 - 5580. If you have any questions, please call 1 - 800 - 396 - 6144.
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Gail Olson, Coordinator
Hearing and Vision Early Intervention Outreach
Illinois School for the Deaf
125 Webster Avenue
Jacksonville, Illinois  62650

Phone: 217-479-4320
Fax:     217-479-4328
Email:  gail.olson@illinois.gov
URL:    www.morgan.k12.il.us/isd/hveio
Facebook search:  Hearing and Vision Early Intervention Outreach
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearing-and-Vision-Early-Intervention-Outreach/128802893816523

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