Guam ADOS-2 Cohort with Dr. Irina Zamora, ASD Trainer from USC

by Guam CEDDERS Guam Department of Education

Through a contract with the Guam Department of Education (GDOE), Division of Special Education, Guam CEDDERS has partnered with University of Southern California (USC) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to facilitate a comprehensive Autism assessment training to continue building the capacity of GDOE Early Intervention and Special Education providers in identifying and assessing children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).  The training includes didactic information, detailed examples and hands-on activities on the administration, scoring and interpretation of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) using the Western Psychological Services (WPS) clinical training.  The ADOS-2 improves “the gold standard” instrument for observational assessment of ASD.  An interdisciplinary cohort of six GDOE Early Intervention and Special Education providers has been identified to engage in the intensive on-site and off-site training conducted by Irina Zamora, Psy.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, USC Keck School of Medicine and CHLA, who is a licensed Psychologist and ASD trainer.  Dr. Zamora is on-site April 18-22, 2016 to conduct the first of two on-site training sessions.  Off-site consultation includes individual consultation calls with each cohort member.  The second on-site training sessions will be held in September 2016, which will result in each cohort member certified as a WPS clinical ADOS-2 administrator.

Guam ADOS-2 Cohort with Dr. Irina Zamora, ASD Trainer from USC. Pictured L-R: Tom Babauta, Special Education Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Nicole Duenas, Speech Language Pathologist; Jessica Atoigue, Autism Technical Assistance Provider; Dr. Zamora; Gajee Parsons, Early Intervention Provider; Marita Gogue, School Psychologist; Tricia Taitague, Emotional Disabilities Program Coordinator; and Paula Ulloa, School Program Consultant.
Guam ADOS-2 Cohort with Dr. Irina Zamora, ASD Trainer from USC. Pictured L-R: Tom Babauta, Special Education Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Nicole Duenas, Speech Language Pathologist; Jessica Atoigue, Autism Technical Assistance Provider; Dr. Zamora; Gajee Parsons, Early Intervention Provider; Marita Gogue, School Psychologist; Tricia Taitague, Emotional Disabilities Program Coordinator; and Paula Ulloa, School Program Consultant.
  • Individuals gathered around a large sheet of paper.

    Guam CEDDERS facilitated a workshop attended by teams from various schools to sustain the Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS) initiative in Guam Department of Education schools on August 26. The PBIS teams from V.A. Benavente Middle School (top photo) discussed the factors that sustains PBIS while Adacao Elementary (bottom photo) are shown completing their PBIS Histomap.

  • Individuals gathered around a table looking at printed strips of paper.

    PBIS team from V.A. Benavente middle schools examines the factors that sustains PBIS and ponders on the order of importance.

PBIS School Teams Engages in Team Training

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Guam Department of Education PBIS

 

Guam Memorial Hospital Authority Stakeholders Meet with Guam EHDI Staff on Quality Improvement Strategies

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Early Childhood Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Guam Early Intervention System
Seven individuals seated around conference table
Members of the Initial Screening Quality Improvement team meet to discuss effective strategies to improve Guam EHDI AIMS. Seated clockwise from (L-R): starting from bottom: Alyson Ward, National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM); Valerie Meno, Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA); Ruth Sabangan, GMHA; Avelina Opena, GMHA; Terrie Fejarang, Guam EHDI; Elaine Eclavea, Guam EHDI; and Joseph Mendiola, Guam EHDI.

Guam EHDI Project Stakeholders Meet to Address Quality Improvement Needs

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Early Childhood Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Guam Early Intervention System
A crowded banquet room listens attentively to speaker.
Alyson Ward, Quality Improvement Advisor from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), provided technical assistance on strategies for effective Quality Improvement activities for EHDI programs on August 10-12. Staff from the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, Guam Regional Medical City, Guam Early Intervention Program, and the DOE Audiology Department joined the Guam EHDI Project for this quality improvement effort.

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Early Intervention Receives SSIP Support

by Guam CEDDERS Guam Department of Education Guam Early Intervention System
Participants listen to consultant on screen.
Guam Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC)/Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) work session, at the Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) conference room, on October 30. The work session took place via video teleconference with consultants from the Center for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Early Childhood Data Systems also known as DaSy and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) to provide technical assistance to GEIS, on their SSIP. Present: GEIS Staff, ICC Members, on screen – Taletha Derrington from DaSy, ECTA consultants Evelyn Shaw & Anne Lucas via telephone conference call.  Guam CEDDERS provides various supports to their partnering agencies, including video conferencing capabilities using a state of the art high definition Polycom video teleconference system.