Feature “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” in Statewide Trainings

Featuring “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” materials and Autism Case Training (ACT) curriculum at trainings and workshops for providers serving young children (0-5 years) across states, often in tandem with other relevant topics.

Examples

• Twelve trainings and workshops were held across Arizona, featuring the ACT curriculum and printed campaign materials. Some trainings targeted rural counties, border communities, and Native American reservations. In total, approximately 500 providers and parents were reached during trainings.
• Trainings held with home visitation programs across California emphasized the importance of developmental guidance, screening, sharing concerns with caregivers, and referrals. Each program received a tote bag with a USB jump drive of all materials and sample copies of some materials, including growth charts, Milestones Moments booklets in English and Spanish, one set of milestone checklists, one set of fact sheets, and the Milestone tri-fold brochure in English and Spanish. Labels with the local referral agency contact information were included to facilitate customization of the materials. Distribution of jump drives was a key dissemination strategy to address home visitors’ difficulty in accessing the internet.
• Workshops that focused on awareness and resource building were held in partnership with megachurches across North Carolina. The workshops featured customized “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” resources in English and Spanish, overviews of the campaign website, and videos from the ACT curriculum. Approximately 300 parents, providers, advocates, and faith leaders representing culturally diverse groups attended and received materials to disseminate throughout the community.
• Nine parent-led Act Early training sessions were held with approximately 90 Head Start and Early Head Start staff in New Jersey. Topics included developmental monitoring and red flags; tips for talking with families about developmental concerns; county-specific information on steps to take after developmental concerns are identified; and the distribution of Milestone Moments booklets and Amazing Me books in English and Spanish. Follow-up training sessions with a more in-depth focus on developmental milestones and red flags were provided by request.

Project leads:
Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Carrie Coffield, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, Rutgers University

Example

• Foster parents in California received training on the importance of developmental monitoring and child development as part of continuing education programs. About 80 foster parents took part in the trainings and received Milestone Moments booklets, which can be useful to help them track the developmental milestones of young children in their care.

Project Lead:
Fran Goldfarb, MA, MCHES, CPSP, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, KECK School of Medicine at the University of Southern California

Providing “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” information and resources to infant/toddler childcare providers as part of professional development

Examples

• Early care and education providers received packets containing LTSAE materials during the Social-Emotional Education and Development (SEED) program training in Virginia. LTSAE materials included the Milestone Moments booklets, a flyer about the LTSAE campaign, a form on how to order materials, developmental checklists, and information on the Watch Me! course for educators.
• LTSAE was integrated into Virginia’s Infant & Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN), a program that provides consultation, technical assistance and professional development services to early care and education providers. ITSN network staff were trained at their annual meeting on how to use LTSAE materials and were also mailed packets of LTSAE materials.

Project Lead:
Susannah Grimm Poe, Ed.D., BCBA-D; Professor, West Virginia University School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics, Klingberg Neurodevelopmental Center; Director, intensive Autism Delivery Clinic (iASD); LEND Mentor in Behavioral Psychology, West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities