NECTAC core activities are organized into four categories—Needs Assessment and Planning, Collaboration, Technical Assistance and Dissemination, and Evaluation Activities.
Activities around needs assessment and planning, collaboration and evaluation are all designed to strengthen our organizational inputs (resources and knowledge) to improve the quality and usefulness of our TA and Dissemination to the field.
TA Planning activities include needs assessment and annual TA planning by the project.
Collaboration activities focus on developing relationships with TA partners, researchers, family organizations and others with whom we can collaborate to provide effective TA.
Technical Assistance and Dissemination is the primary activity of the NECTAC project, providing individualized and cross-state TA to Part C and Section 619 programs in all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions. Based on annual needs assessment, NECTAC plans national conferences, web conferences, conference calls and other cross-state TA to address current issues and challenges facing states. Additionally, NECTAC provides individualized TA to states and jurisdictions by request.
NECTAC provides major and less extensive TA services. Major TA services are typically greater than 8 hours and are expected to result in increased capacity of participants and improved state systems. These include activities such as facilitating stakeholder planning groups, helping states develop guidance and resources, and conducting trainings. NECTAC also provides less extensive TA services such as information resources and referral are typically less than 8 hours. Email and telephone requests range from sharing current resources to reviewing and critiquing documents and short conference calls. Finally, NECTAC works with some States (upon request) on ongoing long-term system change initiatives. These systems change initiatives typically span 2 years, involve ongoing communication with a core group of stakeholders and have clearly defined long term impacts on systems and services.
