AZ Community Action Teams - AZ Action Teams Achievements

Family Information Centers opened in Round Valley, St. Johns, and Concho to provide information and assistance to the public related to special needs issues
Day Treatment center established in Round Valley
Developed Direct Support Professional Curriculum to increase the number and the quality of providers in Southern Apache County. The curriculum is being offered tuition free by Northland Pioneer College.
Obtained 501(c)3 non-profit status.

Bullhead Area Community Partnership for Special Needs Children - Bullhead City

911 call center incorporated medical information on special needs children into their data base
Installed wheelchair swing in local park and in the process of obtaining various other special needs equipment for other locations
Obtained 501(c)3 non-profit status
Teamed with local physician to bring CRS intakes and evaluations to their community so families don’t have to travel to Yuma or Flagstaff to receive the service.

ChinoValley- Chino Action Partnership – Chino Valley and Paulden

Partnered with the Town of Chino Valley, Chino Valley library, the Chino Valley Unified School District, the Transportation Director and the school’s free lunch program to start the S.E.L.F. (Special Extraordinary Library Fun) program during summer vacation
In collaboration with the Chino Valley Recreation Department, organized a special needs dance and a bowling event for their community
For the past three years, the Town of Chino Valley has provided funds to the team to assist with issues in the community related to children with special needs

Flagstaff Community Partnership – Flagstaff

Planned and sponsored Pediatric Diabetes conference in October 2003, in conjunction with the Flagstaff Unified School District
Delivered presentation to NARBHA CEO and clinic directors with overview of community development process, parent leadership and parent/professional partnerships, in order to encourage NARBHA and providers to adopt similar model of family involvement
Parent Leaders on Board of Directors of The Human Service Cooperative of Northern Arizona, the first co-op of its kind in the world. This effort has the support of the DES-Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Developed a Flagstaff Community Partnership website
In conjunction with NARBHA and Northern Arizona University/Institute for Human Development, co-sponsored a conference on Autism in October 2004
Assisted the Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority in the development of a Family Leadership Committee to help direct NARBHA in the process of the parent-led/agency supported philosophy and action. Assisted with the development of family compensation for family leadership//Community Development work on the committee.
Working with the school district to implement Lindamood-Bell curriculum for children in the autism spectrum
Requested to present at a Therapeutic Foster Care Training Conference on improving the relationship between biological and foster families
Furthering connections and deepening relationships with Northern Arizona University, Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority, Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth, Resource Action Network of Northern Arizona and Southwest Institute for Families and Children with Special Needs

Mesa Partnership for Children with Special Health Care Needs – Mesa

Facilitated Children's Rehabilitative Services contracting with east valley hospital to provide services
Provided technical assistance to the A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health to assist them in making their training program more responsive to children with special health needs and their families.
Organizes an annual Family Fun Day event for children with special health care needs and their families. The event provides an opportunity for socialization, recreation, and networking and also provides families with information on special needs resources.
Developing interactive website that will provide families with comprehensive information on services available based on individualized child data
Partnership has established a significant presence in the community and has increased public awareness of children with special health care needs in the Mesa community

Page Partnership for People with Special Needs - Page

Expanded services available to children with special health care needs, including the Arizona Early Intervention program (AzEIP), Children's Rehabilitative Services (CRS), and Success by Six - an early brain development education program
Parent Leader acting as co-chair on the Family Involvement Subcommittee of the Governor's Executive Committee which implements parent voices in decision making by various State Departments servicing Arizona’s children
Partnership has statewide voice and success in implementing changes in the community. Enhanced relationships between parents and professionals have led to the development of services that are more responsive to families.

Prescott Tri City Partnership for Special Children and Families – Prescott, Prescott Valley and Dewey-Humboldt

Facilitated first Children's Rehabilitative Services outreach clinics to come to Prescott
Instrumental in bringing Adaptive Aquatics swim lessons for special needs individuals, made available through Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation Department, to community
Adult with developmental disabilities actualizes life long dream to become a Disc Jockey through his involvement in the Partnership and links made with other members. He is now a regular DJ on the Prescott circuit!
Invited to participate in the selection/hiring process for both state and local agencies
Produce a monthly newsletter distributed to over 400 families and agencies
Publish an annual summer program guide
First Special Needs Yearbook produced for Bradshaw Mountain High School
First Responder Smart Card Program training on Mental Illness and Developmental Disability in the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy (NARTA) for all police recruits twice a year.
Tri City Partnership, in cooperation with local first responders (Police, Fire and EMS), have developed the First Responder Smart Card Program (FRSCP). This program offers a registration process, alerting first responders that there is a smart card on site and an individual with special needs may be at the registered address. FRSCP includes training for first responders on special needs, and how to better recognize and respond to an individual with special needs. This program also provides training for parents and providers on when to call first responders and what happens once the call is made.
First Special Needs Prom is held for tri city area high school students and recent graduates. It was a wonderful experience for all who attended and helped make it such a success.
Coordinates an annual special needs holiday celebration for over 250 children with special needs and their families
Obtained 501(c)3 non-profit status
Maintains an office, as well as a presence, in a highly respected and visible non-profit community center
Continues to work to increase collaboration between parents and local agencies, such as DDD, behavioral health, provider agencies and school districts

San Luis-Comunidades Asistiendo A Niños con Necesidades Especiales de Salud (CANNE) - San Luis, Gadsden, and Somerton

Facilitated transfer of special education classes from Gadsden to Arizona Desert Elementary School in San Luis, because the majority of children with special health care needs live in San Luis
Installed first special needs T-swings at Joe Cabello Park
CANNE's administrative office located at the Regional Center for Border Health is open to the public to provide information and assistance regarding children with special needs

Verde Valley-ACTION Partnership for People with Special Needs - Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Camp Verde, and Sedona

Planned and sponsored the ADHD Conference held in April 2002 in Cottonwood, where 68 people attended.
Partnered with Catholic Social Services to receive a $5,000 Wells Fargo Grant utilized to provide monetary assistance to families who had children with special needs whose resources didn't cover the expenses related to that child
Partnered with Buena Vista Children’s Services for inclusion of children with special needs in their after school and summer program at their three sites: Cottonwood – 14 children, Clarkdale – 3 children, Camp Verde – 12 children. Provided training to staff on special needs and continue to offer assistance to their program.
Medical Home project produced two new communication forms. One form, which is being utilized by Red Rock Pediatrics, is to inform a child’s family and primary care physician of a child’s immediate care needs after an out of town procedure is done so that the family is informed and appropriate follow-up care can be provided by the child’s primary care physician. The second form is a special instruction form for school nurses that provides the nurses with more detailed information about children with special needs than the standard form allows for. This form is being utilized by the Cottonwood School District.
Obtained 501(c)3 non-profit status
Produce quarterly Partnership newsletter and facilitate various trainings and workshops for families of special needs children and providers
Action Partnership is the point of contact and coordinator for theFirst Responder Smart Card Program to the Verde Valley.
Provides Special Needs Resource Packets to families of newly diagnosed children with special needs.
Partnered with Buena Vista Children’s Services for inclusion of children with special needs in their after school and summer program.
Coordinated with local DES/Division of Developmental Disabilities for an annual holiday party for children and families.
Provides free quarterly newsletter.

Arizona Community Action Teams are funded in part by the AZ Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs.