Manley Meets with Birth to Five, Early Intervention Community Collaboration

 

JOLIET, Ill. – As part of a series of initiatives, State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, again met with a collaboration of community members, including Birth to Five Illinois, to discuss early childhood education, and early intervention. State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, is also part of the collaboration meetings. Both Rep. Manley and Sen. Cappel are co-chairs of the newly formed Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus.

Early intervention (EI) refers to specialized services for infants and toddlers, from birth to age three, with development delays or disabilities.

“Many if not most parents do not understand how critical it is to diagnose their children before age three in order to receive services throughout their lives,” Rep. Manley said. “These issues of early childhood education and early intervention for kids with development delays are so complex, and the need for information and services is so great, making these collaborative meetings a much-needed eye opener for those of us not on the front lines.”

The mission of Birth to Five Illinois is to create a statewide regional infrastructure that will amplify input from communities in the development of policies and funding priorities, according to www.birthtofiveil.com.

Will County is represented by Birth to Five Illinois’ Region 56.

Over several years, this region has engaged families, communities, elected officials, child care providers and many others to better understand the needs of our youngest learners in Will County, according to the group. Across the conversations, a clear need emerged to better align services for kids seeking access to early intervention services, according to the group.

Last March, the Birth to Five Illinois Region 56 team and council members began conversations with these community leaders and policymakers, which has evolved into these Early Intervention Community Collaboration meetings. Rep. Manley and Sen. Cappel have been regular participants in these meetings.

Rep. Manley and Senator Cappel launched the inaugural Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus meeting earlier this month. Over 90 legislators and community leaders participated across the state.

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brain function and behavioral traits. It recognizes that conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, and others are not deficits or disorders to be “fixed,” but rather part of the normal spectrum of neurological development. Embracing neurodiversity means valuing different ways of thinking, learning and interacting with the world.

For more information about Birth to Five, visit www.birthtofiveil.com.

The Birth to Five Community Collaboration Meetings include the following participants:

Birth to Five Illinois Team Members: Keven Kerr, Regional Council Manager, Region 56 (Will County); Victoria Theodossopoulos, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Region 56 (Will County); Erica LoBurgio, Regional Administrative Support, Region 56 (Will County); Sharkisha Jones, Regional Council Manager, Region 24 (Grundy & Kendall Counties); Mandy Bailey, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Region 24 (Grundy & Kendall Counties); Melissa Kanning, Regional Administrative Support, Region 24 (Grundy & Kendall Counties).

Birth to Five Illinois Action Council Members: Amy Allen, We Rock the Spectrum, Business Owner & Early Intervention Therapist (Current Member); Arielle Jones, Will County Health Department, Community Health Educator (Current Member); Debrah Clark, Joliet Township High School District #204, Infant Childcare Director/Parent Educator (Current Member); Donna Naleway, Kid Country Childcare, Director (Current Member); Dr. Wanikka Vance-Clark, Governors State University, Foundations 4 AdVANCEment, Head of School & Adjunct Professor (Current Member); Elise Boyd-Johnson, Anointed Childcare Academy, Owner/Executive Director (Current Member); Erin Soto, Governors State University Early Head Start, Family Development Center Executive Director (Current Member); Fayeza Waris, Child Care Resource & Referral Agency, Quality Specialist (Current Member); Jacqueline Ramirez, Governors State University, College of Education and Human Development Recruiter (Former Member); Juanita Stevenson, Anointed Child Care Academy, Senior Director (Current Member); Kristin Wallace, Child Care Resource & Referral Agency, Education Coach (Former Member); Maria Tovar, Catholic Charities, Assistant Director of Family and Child Support Services (Current Member); Michele Dockery, Easter Seals, Child Care Director (Current Member); Natalie DiRienzo, Guardian Angel Community Services, Sexual Assault Victims Advocate (Current Member); Sandifer Thomas, Direct Thy Path Daycare Center, Owner & Director (Current Member); Stefanie Echols, Valley View School District #365-U, Community Outreach Coordinator (Current Member).

Birth to Five Illinois Family Council Members: Brenda Olaez, Shorewood (Former Member); Leslie Vidales, Joliet (Current Member); Mallory Pawlak, New Lenox (Current Member); Melissa Voss Burke, Peotone (Current Member); Krista Escamillo, Plainfield (Former Member currently serving on the Birth to Five Illinois Statewide Family Leadership Council); Jessica Palencia, Joliet (Former Member); Maliha Afridi, Bolingbrook (Former Member); Andrea Harding, Romeoville (Former Member); Brianna Thompson, Shorewood (Former Member); Liz Fallentine, Plainfield (Former Member); Juanita Quezada, Joliet (Former Member); LaToya Johnson, Plainfield (Former Member); Norma Romo, Joliet (Former Member); Raquel Young, Plano (Former Member).

Other Community Members: Megan Hillegass, Valley View School District #365-U, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher; Kathy Staten, Mental Health Consultant, Community Coordinated Child Care, Child Care Resource and Referral Agency; Dr. Natalie Coleman, CEO, After the Peanut; Amy Emerson, Manager of Family Services, YMCA Chicago; Rachael Cimino, Program Director, Child and Family Connections #1Cindy Luzeniecki, Transition Coordinator, Child and Family Connections (CFC) #15; Andrea Marwah, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS); Aaron Beswick, Director of Special Projects, Illinois Department of Early Childhood-(IDEC); Paige Greenwood, Director of Family Engagement, IDEC; Gerson Ramirez, Director of Legislative Affairs, IDEC.