Back in 2008, I presented at the Local Interagency Coordinating Council Conference as part of our child find outreach to locals.

1. Welcome to:
“Super Size Your
Public Awareness”
Presented by:
Early On®
Public Awareness
Presenter:
Victoria Meeder,
Marketing/Public
Awareness Supervisor

2. Early On® Michigan
Child Find in Michigan
• History
Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is legislation
that established the only federal formula grant program for infants and toddlers
with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. Originally Public
Law (PL) 99-477, Congress added it to the Education of the Handicapped Act
in 1986. Congress reauthorized the legislation and renamed the act the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1992; it then became
known as PL 102-119, Part H of IDEA. Congress reauthorized the act again in
1997 as PL 105-17, Part C of IDEA; in 2004 it was reauthorized under Part C
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. In Michigan,
we call this Part C of IDEA, Early On.

3. What is Early On® Public Awareness?
The Office of Innovative Projects at Clinton County
Regional Educational Service Agency (DeWitt, MI)
• State mandated project
• Assist in the child find component of Part C of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Identify and locate children birth to 3 who are in
need of early intervention services
• Responsibilities:
– Operate the statewide toll-free referral line
– Celebrating 1 Year Anniversary, beginning
9/15/05 – 9/15/06 referred over 1,881
– Provide outreach to communities
– Develop informational materials for Early On
– Central Directory (Locals)
– Early On Traveling Display Boards
– Maintain the website for
www.1800EarlyOn.org
– Assist locals with graphic art for display
boards, promotional items, business cards

4. Examples of Support (Statewide Level)
Provide written materials
• Early On brochure (provided over 18,000 copies of this brochure to
READY kits, that will be shipped to every licensed childcare provider in the State)
• Guidebooks (1-4)
– Welcome to Early On
– Our Individualized Family Service Plan
– Transition: Leaving Early On
– Early On Family Rights
• Child Developmental Wheels (reprinted 30,000. Now aligns with the
“Immunize Your Little Michigander” campaign)
• “Baby Steps” developmental poster (distributed 6,500)
• NEW Baby emergency numbers magnet (distributed 7,000)
• NEW Early On Public Awareness brochure

5. Traveling Display Board
• One Statewide Early On Traveling Display Board
– Mike Bobo, Trainer and Technical Assistance/Public Awareness staff member
showcases the board on a Statewide level
– (2006-2007 calendar can be found at website at www.1800EarlyOn.org)
• Two (small) Early On boards – available to locals for community use
– To schedule the small display boards for an event, contact Early On Public
Awareness at 1-800-Early-On (327-5966)

6. Contact Media - TV
Early On® Michigan
Public Service Announcement
“Sitting Still”
October 2005 – March 2006
Aired 78,535
$3,231.963/$150,000

7. Contact Media – Outreach
• Contacting Michigan
Public Access
Television Stations to
air the Public Service
Announcement,
“Sitting Still” for
Early On. (free of
charge)
• Message Board:
Display a message for
Early On.

8. Media continued…
• WILX TV 10
• Featured
“Mug of the Day”

9. “Watch Me Grow” calendar
• A Calendar for Michigan
Families
• Parents of children birth to 8
years old
• Potential to reach thousands
• Includes activities for parents
and children, important phone
numbers, an updated
immunization schedule, space
for local agency information
– 2005-2006
– 2006-2007
– Available in English and
Spanish
• Family and Consumer
Sciences, MSU Extension
– (517) 432-8204
– Tammy Sullivan
– Available after December 1,
2006

10. Physicians Outreach
• Reprinting the “Guide for
Physicians”/Pocketguide
• Plan for the 2006-2007
• 59% of our referrals come
from physicians/health
care providers
• www.1800EarlyOn.org

11. Other Examples – Transit
Kalamazoo County: Metro Transit Buses, 8 buses
Genesee County: MTA/Flint Buses, 20 buses
Macomb County: SMART Buses, 40 buses
Washtenaw County: SMART Buses, 25 buses
(Kick-off began September 15, 2006: 6-8 week duration)

12. TRANSIT - continued
Captive Audience – U of M (Washtenaw)
September 23 – Wisconsin and October 7 – M.S.U.
(potential of reaching over 107,000 at each game)

13. How PA Can Support Locals
• Provide Written Materials
• Display Board Art Work
• Business Card Templates
• Help to Locate
State/National Resources
• Next...

14. Launch NEW Website
www.1800EarlyOn.org

15. I am a Parent

16. I am a Professional

17. How to Make a Referral

18. Local, State, National Resources

19. Related Activities
Project Find Michigan
• Child Find Components - Part B of IDEA
• Birth to Age 26 (Special Education)
• Referral Line: 1-800-252-0052
• Outreach to Communities
• Outreach to Project Find Coordinators
• Provide Written Materials to Support Child Find in
Local Areas
• NEW www.projectfindmichigan.org

20. Project Find Coordinators
• Hosted a Project Find
Networking Meeting
• Two Spiderphone
Conversations – Input
on Promotional Items
• Distribution Mailing
of NEW Promotional
Posters and Brochures

21. Project Find Youth K-6

22. Project Find Translated
Spanish Arabic

23. Project Find Michigan
Older Youth Dropped Out

24. Project Find Michigan Display Board

25. Launch NEW Website
www.projectfindmichigan.org

26. First Time Ever

27. Thank You For Attending
Brought To You By Early On Public Awareness
Kathy Jorae,
Information Referral
Specialist
Victoria Meeder,
Marketing/Public
Awareness
Supervisor
Lynne Ridenour,
WebMaster/
Publications Specialist
Mike Bobo,
T&TA