MEETING NOTES

State Interagency Transition Team (SITT) Meeting

Birmingham, Alabama –Disability Rights and Resources

March 8, 2017 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

17Team Members in Attendance:

Joshua Echols- People First / Jeana Winter- APEC / Robbie Stewart- AIDB
Nancy Anderson- ADAP / Kimberly Lewis- ADRS/CRS / Jewell C. Pitts- DMH/ID
Stephanie Pratt- ADRS / Naomi Scales- ACCS / Gwendolyn Brown-DR&R
Diane Jones- ALSDE/SES / Curtis Gage-ALSDE/SES / Leroy Miles-ALSDE/SES
Cynthia Augustine-ALSDE/SES / Dana Barber- ADRS / Chris Moore-JeffCo BOE
Valerie Dubose-UAB/DSS / Shakela Johnson-Ford/DYS

04Visitors & Invited Guests in Attendance:

Dan Ressler-DRR / Rebecca Hauser-ALSDE/SES / Clark Waggoner-ALSDE/SES
Clara Christopher- Peer Advocate

Welcome & Call to Order- C. Augustine

  • Participants introduced themselves.

Agenda-C. Augustine

  • The proposed Agenda (Attachment 1) was presented, reviewed, and approved without dissent.

Minutes- C. Augustine

  • The December 1, 2016 SITT Meeting Notes (Attachment 2) was presented, reviewed, and approved without dissent.

Old Business-Subcommittees (Attachment 3)

  • Each of the Three Goals are written into the state plan.
  • GOAL 1 Structure & Support for Youth to Maximize Transition Process- Deaf services completed college prep for three schools; Blind services has college prep in development for Summer of 2018; Will coordinate with Karen Jenkins on six additional college prep programs; Youth Leadership Forum held; Completion of Transition Manual in progress.
  • GOAL 2 Strengthen SITT to Promote Collaboration- a Guide is under development and will be presented to SITT for review and feedback; Youth recruitment is going well but need help in recruiting parents; Have shared goals to improve transition throughout the state.
  • GOAL 3 Structure & Support for Stakeholders to Maximize Transition Process- New title for “Job Coaches” is Pre-Employment Transition Specialists; College Prep handbook is being distributed online and at College Fairs; two full days of transition presentations are set for MEGA17.
  • BY-LAWS- development in progress; Using SEAP by-laws as a beginning as starting point to adapt to appropriately fit the needs of SITT.
  • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- Identified members from different agencies who can serve as resources; have a draft requisition for use to request TA; describe problem/question--then TA team will identify the agency that might address need and follow up with call; form/directions are in draft stage; TA request might be embedded on new SITT landing page; ADAP volunteered as a resource to and member of the TA committee.
  • YOUTH TRANSITION CONFERENCE- Set tentative dates for September 18-21. Hoping to hold in the Birmingham area pending location of a meeting space. Hope to follow up this year’s State conference with future Regional conferences. Will be from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM with a speaker followed by breakout sessions. Information for teachers and parents will also be included in the breakout sessions. There are funds for the venue. Be thinking about any motivational speakers you might suggest.
  • A sign-up sheet for individuals who want to volunteer for any of these subcommittees was passed around.

New Business-

  • Completing the progress monitoring piece of the SITT 2016 plan was addressed within the subcommittee reports. C. Gage and C. Augustine will represent ALSDE at upcoming Capacity Building Institute. ADRS is also participating. Other agencies are also encouraged to attend but will need to bear the travel and registration expenses. Will be held in Kansas City, MO.
  • The format and structure of the NTACT assessment piece was sampled by completing several assessment items as a group. C. Augustine will scan the assessment instrument questions and submit for feedback from SITT. ADAP offered to help with this project. Feedback from SITT members is requested by the end of April.
  • Next meeting date will be in June of 2017. SITT members will be notified when the date and location have been determined.

Agency Updates-

  • ALSDE website will have a SITT landing page; Upcoming manual will have chapters on transition planning and assessments, appendices with resource listing, interagency chapters and contacts; As in the past year, MEGA17 will have a transition component.
  • Children’s Rehabilitation Services- Partners in Care Summit will be from April 20-21. Register @ familyvoices.al.org.
  • ADDR will host a silent auction and live music for a fundraiser @ the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in June. More details to come.
  • ADRS/ASB/AIDB will conduct “In Perfect Harmony” an Assistive Technology event on June 1. Additional information will be provided.
  • Center for Independent Living is seeking collaboration and partnerships to continue implementation of Transition 24.
  • People First is going to a conference in Washington D.C. on disability policy. Also, please contact Josh if you know of training needs that People First can assist with.

Adjournment

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