Early Intervention & Preschool Services / Recommendations / Current Activities in GA

Recommendation 1:

Increase the availability of effective early intervention and preschool services for children with autism.

  • Objective 1a: In collaboration with the Georgia Departments of Early Care and Learning, Education, and Public Health, provide ongoing training and technical assistance for childcare and early education providers on effective practices for educating young children with autism.
  • Objective 1b: Collaborate with advocacy groups, professional organizations, and state agencies on the formulation of policies, standards, and financing of comprehensive and coordinated early intervention and preschool services that meet the medical and educational needs of the child. Policies should be inclusive of children with a diagnosis of autism, as well as and those exhibiting signs of developmental delay, but not otherwise eligible for services.

Recommendation 2:

Strengthen teacher and parent knowledge of appropriate early interventions at school and home.

  • Objective 2a: In collaboration with state agencies and professional organizations, disseminate the Autism Navigator™ (now in development at the Marcus Autism Center) that provides training on identifying the signs of autism, appropriate methods of communicating teacher concerns regarding a child’s development to parents, and effective intervention strategies.
  • Objective 2b: Design, implement, and evaluate a series of trainings for childcare and early education providers on best practices for family and teacher partnerships, including Head Start and the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) programs that serve historically underserved populations.

Recommendation 3:

Increase the number of inclusive preschool opportunities for children diagnosed with autism throughout the state of Georgia.

  • Objective 3a: Design, implement, and evaluate a series of trainings for childcare and early education providers on best practices for inclusion, including Head Start and CAPS programs that serve historically underserved populations.
  • Objective 3b: In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, increase the availability of on-site training and technical assistance on supporting children with autism in generic preschool and childcare settings.
  • Objective 3c: In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education, support the dissemination of inclusive preschool classrooms for children with autism through on-site training and technical assistance.
Last Updated 03/07/14