Transition Team

 

 

About the Transition Team and the Guide for Parents of Children Ages 0-8

 

The primary goal of the Bartholomew County Transition Team is to assist in developing a countywide system that ensures a positive transition experience for young children (birth to age eight) as they move from one program, agency, or environment to another.  Our goals:

    • To educate families about what resources are available to them and help relieve their anxieties as the time for change draws near

o      To help agencies and programs with updated information about resources to help them promote the smooth transition of children between programs and agencies

o      To develop and maintain agreements among agencies and providers that ensure a uniform system of referrals and a family-friendly system of transition

o      To establish a flow of information among agencies, providers, and families that will increase overall awareness of resources available to families of young children

The Transition Team formed in 2001 in response to a statewide initiative by the Indiana’s State Transition Initiative for Young Children and Families.  The group brings together individuals and groups who hope to improve the many transitions faced by families of young children.  These transitions might include the transition between hospital and home, preschool and kindergarten, early intervention and child care settings, or even transitions between therapists, classrooms, or philosophies.  The primary goal of the team is to assist in creating a community-wide comprehensive system to promote positive and effective transition experiences and ongoing services during transitions.

 

The group identified lack of information as a roadblock to achieving our goals. One of our initial projects involves developing a comprehensive information guide that can be used as a resource tool by both families and providers.  This tool, similar to the First Call For Help’s out-of-print Community Resource Guide and the also out-of-print 1999 Parent Guide, focuses on services and programs available to families with children from birth to eight years.  This publication is the result of a collaborative effort among our current Transition Team member organizations and would be supported by many local programs or agencies.

 

Transition Team Members

 

 

Rose Ellen Adams

Child Care Resource and Referral

1531 13th Street

Columbus, Indians 47201

Phone: 375-2207

Fax:      375-2217

E-mail: readams@childhoodconnections.org

 

Shelley Baute

Healthy Families

Healthy Families of Bartholomew County

Family Service

331 Franklin St.

Columbus, Indiana 47201

Phone: 372-3745

Fax:      372-5367

Email:   famserv@iquest.net

 

Lynne Eckerle

First Steps Council Coordinator

4123 North Riverside Drive

Columbus, Indiana 47203

Phone:  350-6702 (office: voice mail)

             376-6702 (home line)

Fax:      376-8727

Email:   firststepscouncil@insightbb.com

 

Lori Hart

Parent

4480 W 200 S

Columbus, IN 47201

Phone: 342-2410

Email:   4hart@sbcglobal.net

 

Beth Krogmann

First Steps Provider

Email:   elizabeth@fsilafayette.org

 

Anne Dolan

First Call for Help

1531 13th Street

Columbus, Indians 47201

Phone: 375-0011

Fax:      375-2217

Email:   adolan@fcfh211.org

 

Sandi Smith

First Steps SPOE

1531 13th Street, Suite G 900

Columbus, IN 47201-1302

Phone: 372-6918

Fax:      372-7846

Email:   fsintake@areaxi.org

 

Debbie Soto

Aging and Community Services

1531 13th Street, Suite G 900

Columbus, IN 47201-1302

Phone: 372-6918

Fax:      372-7846

Email:   debbieareaxi@core.com

 

Jo-Ann Swank

Special Needs Child Care Resource Consultant

DSI and CCRR

3129 25th Street, #215

Columbus, IN 47202

Phone: 350-2586

Fax:     376-0794

Email:   joannswank@hotmail.com

 

Kathy Weippert

703 Washington Street

Columbus, IN 47201

Phone:  375-6740

Fax:      376-4204

Email:   weippertk@bcsc.k12.in.us

 

Denise Wilber

Head Start

P.O. Box 588

Columbus, Indiana 47202-0588

Phone:  376-9608

Fax:      378-4812

Email:   dwilber@hsi-headstart.com

 

Herschel Willey

703 Washington Street

Columbus, IN 47201

Phone:  375-6740

Fax:      376-4204

Email:   willeyh@bcsc.k12.in.us

 

 

TEAM SUPPORT

 

Mary Jo Paladino

Indiana Transitions Initiative

16130 Brockton Court

Granger, IN 46530-9714

Phone:  (219)273-6019

Fax:      (219)273-6019

Email:   mpaladin@iusb.net

 

Deborah Spurling

Indiana Transitions Initiative

4694 W. I74 Frontage Road

Greensburg, IN 47240

Phone:  (812)871-6732

Fax:      (812)378-4812

Email:   debspurling@voyager.net

 

Updated 1/23/07