Exceptional Childrens Assistance Center Inc

THE EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S ASSISTANCE CENTER IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES AND EDUCATION OF ALL N.C.'S CHILDREN THROUGH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. ECAC AFFIRMS THE RIGHT OF ALL INDIVIDUALS, FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES, WITH OR WITHOUT DISABILITIES, TO AN APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND OTHER NEEDED SERVICES. WE SEEK TO MAKE THAT RIGHT A REALITY BY PROVIDING NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES WITH INFORMATION, SUPPORT, AND TRAINING TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS TO ADVOCATE FOR AND ACCESS APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND OTHER NEED SERVICES FOR FAMILIES TO THRIVE.

ECAC CURRENTLY OPERATES THE FEDERALLY-FUNDED PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTER (PTI) TO SERVE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES BIRTH-26 YEARS OF AGE IN ALL 100 NC COUNTIES. WE HAVE HELD THIS DISTINCTION SINCE 1986. THE PTI STAFF PROVIDE INFORMATION, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. ECAC IS PART OF THE REGION B NATIONAL PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (RPTAC) NETWORK AND SUPPORTS 25 FEDERALLY-FUNDED PARENT CENTERS IN 12 SOUTHEASTERN STATES - FROM VIRGINIA TO FLORIDA, OVER TO TEXAS. THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH PARENT TO PARENT OF GEORGIA, ECAC'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS THE CO-DIRECTOR FOR THE REGION B PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER. IN THIS ROLE, SHE PROVIDES BOARD TRAINING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES ON REACHING UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND EFFECTIVELY OPERATING A NONPROFIT FAMILY ORGANIZATION INCLUDING BOARD GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES. TO ENSURE OUR WORK IS FAMILY-CENTERED AND YOUTH FRIENDLY, ECAC USES THE EXPERTISE OF THE FAMILY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE YOUTH ADVISORY TEAM. THE MEMBERS OF THESE ADVISORY BOARDS, AND OTHER FAMILIES WE ENGAGE FROM ACROSS THE STATE, INFORM ECAC'S WORK ON MANY LEVELS, FROM PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND PERSPECTIVES, TO WORKING WITH ECAC STAFF TO PLAN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, TO CO-CREATING INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS, AND CO-PRESENTING TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES. ECAC PROVIDES A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO UTILIZE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR FAMILIES AND YOUTH. ECAC HAS A BROAD REACH IN NC. DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD, ECAC HAD MORE THAN 23,000 INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS AND IMPLEMENTED 179 TRAINING SESSIONS FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. IN ADDITION, ECAC'S NEWSLETTERS REACHED MORE THAN 55,000 INDIVIDUALS AND WE DISSEMINATED MORE THAN 8,000 INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS TO PARENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND YOUTH. ECAC'S WEBSITE HTTPS://WWW.ECAC- PARENTCENTER.ORG/) HAD 43,000 PAGE VIEWS AND OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWING IS MORE THAN 11,500 WITH A REACH OF 3,065,649. OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHICH HOUSES OUR EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS HAD 239,454 VIEWS.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IS WOVEN INTO ALL THE FABRIC OF ALL PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES. WE ARE RECOGNIZED AS A STATE LEADER IN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, FAMILY LEADERSHIP AND FAMILY-CENTERED CARE. WE CONDUCT ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT OF THE NC DEAFBLIND PROJECT, ARE PART OF THE NC STATE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (NC SIP), THE STATE PERSONNEL IMPROVEMENT GRANT (SPDG) THE EARLY INTERVENTION LEADER PROJECT (E/I LEADER). IN ADDITION, WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM DHHS WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH (TITLE V)AND THE NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION TO SUPPORT THE INCLUSION OF FAMILIES INTO SYSTEM CHANGE ACTIVITIES. STAFF ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN MORE THAN 17 LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES AND YOUTH. ECAC HAS A FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER WHO COORDINATES OUR MULTIPLE PROJECTS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADS THE NOVEMBER FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH ACTIVITIES. THIS INCLUDES FINDING PARTNERS, OBTAINING A PROCLAMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH. FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH ACTIVITIES REACHED MORE THAN 7,000 FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. WE ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS ON BEST PRACTICES TO AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGE FAMILIES. THROUGH THE NC SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN (NC SIP) GRANT, WE ENGAGE A CADRE OF FAMILY LEADERS TO SPEAK TO PRE-SERVICE CLASSES FOR EDUCATION MAJORS IN 5 UNIVERSITIES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.

ECAC HAS A SUBCONTRACT WITH PARENT TO PARENT OF GEORGIA FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORK WITH OSEP FUNDED PARENT CENTERS IN 12 STATES. THIS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDES TRAINING, WORKSHOPS, INFORMATION AND SUPPORT IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENTS, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION AND GRANTS MANAGEMENT.

ECAC HAS STRONG COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER FAMILY-SERVING STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. STAFF PARTICIPATE ON 17 SYSTEMS CHANGE AND POLICY GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT SERVICES TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ARE RESPONSIVE AND EQUITABLE. WE ALSO SUPPORT STATE AGENCIES WHO ARE WORKING WITH THE SAME POPULATIONS OF FAMILIES AS WE DO. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE 2 CONTRACTS WITH THE NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS). THROUGH THE CONTRACT WITH DHHS EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, UNDER THEIR DIRECTION, ECAC PURCHASES ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR BABIES/TODDLERS WHO ARE DEFINED AS 'AT-RISK' AS DESCRIBED IN THE FAMILY INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN AND TO REIMBURSE FAMILIES FOR MEDICAL COSTS OVER THE FAMILIES' SLIDING SCALE CAP AMOUNT. THE 16 CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AGENCIES, PREPARE THE AUTHORIZATIONS FOR THESE EXPENSES FOR WHICH, ECAC ISSUES PAYMENT. UNDER DHHS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH BUREAU, CHILDREN AND YOUTH BRANCH, ECAC SUPPORTS THEM IN ISSUING REIMBURSEMENTS TO FAMILIES FOR PARTICIPATING IN SYSTEMS CHANGE MEETINGS. ECAC HAS SEVERAL CONTRACTS WITH THE NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (NCDPI) EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION. ECAC IS A MEMBER OF THE STATE PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT GRANT (SPDG) TO ASSIST SCHOOLS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ENGAGE FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, ECAC IS A FUNDED PARTNER OF THE DEAFBLIND GRANT TO SUPPORT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DEAFBLINDNESS. AN ECAC STAFF MEMBER IS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THIS PROJECT.