Project Description:
The purpose of Critical Components of Contemporary Early Intervention Practice or Program (C3EIP) (pronounced "Keep") is to increase the number of qualified early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers, occupational therapists (OTs), physical therapists (PTs), and speech language pathologists (SLPs) to serve young children with disabilities (birth-5) who have high-intensity disabilities and their families. The need for highly trained personnel has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, new methods of service delivery, an increased focus on racial equity, and the subsequent rise in mental health needs for families, service providers, and educators. C3EIP is a 10-month hybrid (online and onsite) program that will support 48 scholars to provide contemporary evidence-based early childhood intervention to children with high intensity disabilities birth to age 5. Scholars completing a professional preparation degree at the Masters or Clinical Doctoral level will receive additional interdisciplinary training in early intervention in order to achieve competency in evidence-based early childhood practices.
C3EIP is a competency-based program that includes: five (3 semester hour) online/virtual courses, a webinar, 1-day conference, capstone project, and a 4-week practicum. The online course work meets the Quality Matter Standards for online learning. Key competencies were developed for early intervention providers based on those delineated by APTA, AOTA, ASHA CEC and DEC and practices recommended by the Early Childhood Personnel Center, the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, and the National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Competence among others.
Unique to the program and our current practice environment is C3EIP's ability to build the capacity of providers to deliver equitable services in-person or remotely via technology, that are responsive to the developmental, functional, and socio-emotional needs of children and families. Scholars enrolled in C3EIP will complete coursework related to: a) intervention for infants and toddlers with intensive needs, b) appropriate evaluation and assessment strategies including behavior and early childhood mental health, c) designing, implementing, and evaluating individualized family service plans, d) collaborating with other professionals, especially early childhood educators, to include children in natural environments, e) partnering with families to meet the needs of infants and toddlers with high intensity disabilities in remote and in-person delivery systems, and f) leadership skills including integration of cultural and linguistic competence practices. Scholars also will complete a 160 clock-hour internship in an inclusive child care-preschool program.
Scholars enrolled in C3EIP will receive full tuition support for the additional course work as well as a stipend to defray costs of instructional fees and books.
