| Mission Statement |
| "The mission of the Utah Interagency Coordinating
Council for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs is to assure
that each infant and young child with special needs will have
the opportunity to achieve optimal health and development within
the context of the family." |
INTRODUCTION
TO ICC
INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR INFANTS
AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHAT IS EARLY
INTERVENTION?
Baby Watch Early
Intervention is a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, interagency,
multidisciplinary system, which provides early intervention services
to infants and toddlers, younger than three years of age, with developmental
delay or disability, and their families. Early intervention is the
"baby" piece of Special Education. The program is authorized
through the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part C, (Early
Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities).
In 1987, Utah's Governor designated the Department of Health (DOH)
as the "Lead Agency" for the early intervention program.
Utah was one of the very first states in the nation to fully implement
its early intervention program after securing the approval of the
State Legislature.
At present,
there are 16 early intervention programs that serve more than 2,000
children per month in the state. It is anticipated that the demand
for these services will continually increase.
WHAT IS AN
INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL (ICC)?
The creation
of an ICC was established with the passage of federal law P.L. 99-457
in October 1986. Developers of the legislation recognized the need
for a group outside of the Lead Agency to "advise and assist"
in the development of such a system. The independent nature of the
ICC is one feature that gives the group the potential for making
a contribution to the development of the service system.
Another feature
of the regulations is the multidisciplinary and the multi-constituency
representation on the ICC. By specifying what types of members should
be included on the ICC, the legislation enables states to bring
together consumer, clinical, political, and administrative communities.
This merging of a variety of communities facilitates the building
of bridges between the involved agencies. In addition, the committee
has provided a broader vision of the service system based upon the
participation and contributions of all relevant providers and consumers.
The ICC, a body
required by statute to be appointed by each state's Governor, is
to be an important participant in the development of a well-coordinated
service system (Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, June,
1989). Each state ICC determines, in conjunction with the Lead Agency,
the nature of the roles and tasks it chooses to perform at various
policy stages.
The Utah ICC
is an interagency group whose membership represents the statewide
early childhood services community. It is comprised of up to 25
members.
The purpose
of the Utah ICC is to advise and assist the lead agency in the Division
of Community and Family Health Services, Bureau of Children with
Special Health Care Needs in the DOH.
Much of the
work of the ICC is accomplished in standing committees and ad hoc
task force meetings that perform long range planning, study specific
issues and make appropriate actions. A member of the ICC chairs
each committee.
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