Public Awareness

NECTAC Public Awareness topic editor: Evelyn Shaw

Under Part C (34CFR§§ 303.320), the public awareness program is part of the comprehensive child find system. Public awareness is the ongoing effort that keeps the general public, families and all primary referral sources informed about early intervention services. Information includes the scope and purpose of the system, how to make a referral, how to gain access to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation and other early intervention services and information about the central directory.

Under Part B (34CFR§§ 300.125) Child Find, states are required to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities in the state, birth to 21, including highly mobile children with disabilities (migrant or homeless children). When the Part C lead agency is different from the Part B lead agency, states must describe the "nature and participation" of the Part C lead agency in child find activities for children birth through age two.

To be effective, the public awareness program should provide continuous, ongoing activities throughout the state, involve the major organizations that have a direct interest in young children including public and private agencies at the state, regional and local levels, parent groups, advocates and other organizations, be broad enough to reach the general public including persons with disabilities and include a variety of methods for disseminating information. Examples of methods to inform the general public can include posters, pamphlets, displays, toll free-numbers, Web sites, TV, radio newspaper releases, advertisements etc.

Reaching Families and Caregivers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with national partners, is hosting a public awareness campaign entitled Learn the Signs, Act Early. The campaign is meant to help parents and child care providers learn more about early childhood development, including potential early warning signs of autism and other developmental disabilities. CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) has produced a related, 4.5 minute video, entitled Baby Steps: Learn the Signs. Act Early (2008), which can be viewed online.
ZERO TO THREE has a Web page devoted to Child Development with materials on developmental milestones from Birth to Eight Months, from 8 to 18 Months and from 18 to 36 months. This Web page also provides Tips for Your Child's Developmental Assessment.
NICHCY - The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities developed Finding Help for Young Children with Disabilities (Birth-5) (2005) (Formerly entitled: A Parent's Guide to Accessing Programs for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers with Disabilities).
Project Forum from the National Association for State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) developed a Quick Turn Around (QTA) on Part C Underserved Populations: State Outreach Efforts (2005) (PDF: 190kb) . This document describes innovative strategies from 5 states to reach and serve populations that are traditionally underserved in Part C.
Bright Futures for Families, a project of Family Voices with funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), provides families with child health and development materials in both Spanish and English. These materials are based on the Bright Futures Guidelines (2008) published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for pediatricians and other health care providers.

Strategies for Reaching Physicians and the Medical Community

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed policy statements on the Role of the Medical Home in Family-Centered Early Intervention Services (2007) and Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening (2006).
The 3rd edition of Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents (2008), published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) with funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), provides comprehensive information for pediatricians and other health care providers on developmental surveillance and milestones, physical exams, screening procedures, and immunization recommendations. To view videos in which experts share their perspectives about the Bright Futures Guidelines go to the Multimedia Gallery.

State Examples

Arkansas Child Find includes a description of child find, program fact sheets for early intervention, early childhood and school age, information on how to find services, resource materials and helpful links for parents.
Connecticut Birth to Three has a Web page called Especially for Families with materials on typical development, services and supports.
Maryland's Infants and Toddlers Program has Growth and Developmental Milestones guides for parents of children birth to three available in multiple languages.
Maryland's Preschool Special Education Services page contains information about preschool services (3-5) and hot links to the child find coordinators in each school system.
Minnesota's ParentsKnow Web site has information, videos, activities and other resources for parents on child health and development.
New Jersey's Department of Education, Office of Special Education has developed a resource called NJ's About Project Child Find that gives information about how to refer children (birth to five).
Virginia's Early Intervention System for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and Their Families has Information for Families, as well as a Public Awareness section with developmental checklist brochures in a variety of languages.
Washington's Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Program has developed the ITEIP Outreach and Marketing Kit (2000) (DOC: 309kb) and A Family's Guide to Early Intervention Services in Washington State (1998) (PDF: 418kb) . Note this document is the English version. Other language versions can be found at the bottom of the page at www.dshs.wa.gov/iteip/Publications.html.

Links on this site are verified monthly. This page content was last updated on 07/10/2009.