OPERATING TIPS for a REGIONAL CONSORTIUM

Existing regional consortia have been asked to describe at least one idea/activity and the “how-to” that has made it work well for them. Although the suggestions may include previous dates, they are still deemed helpful.

Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton Counties
We invite at least 2 speakers to each regional meeting and allow representatives from other counties to attend local ITC meetings to get new ideas.

The Regional Consortia has provided information and networking in the RESA area, and it is important that we review progress together. Our system has implemented a progressive change in our transition process and we continue to support this implementation with professional learning workshops. Our transition plan DRIVES our secondary IEPs for students, but we do need more access to post-secondary options for our students.

Camden, Glynn, and McIntosh Counties
We invited the WIPA* representative to conduct a lunch and learn (in our case, breakfast) session for ITC members and parents on SSI transition issues, work incentives, etc. (At the time, BPAO – now WIPA - had funding for such an activity and the ITC does not have an operating budget.) [Note: WIPA, pronounced “whip-pah,” stands for Work Incentives Planning and Assistance; it is funded by a Social Security grant. WIPA replaced BPAO (Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach). Benefits specialists are now being called Community Work Incentives Coordinators, or CWIC – pronounced “see-wick.”]

Newton and Rockdale Counties
• Creating a Transition Brochure to explain Transition and give parents, students, etc., resources available in their community. (We took this idea from Fayette Co.)
• At the Transition Fair held in the spring, agencies that provide services in the community had booths. Information was distributed to families and door prizes were awarded. We had a good response from the community.
• Having weeknight workshops with child care available. We provided topic/speaker information in ample time for people to attend. We had a pretty good turnout for the 1st year- attendees were parents/guardians, students, and teachers. We received good feedback and interest in having more workshops. Examples of topics, so far: the Medicaid waiver, guardianship.