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Early Intervention Interagency Management Team
Operational Procedures
Approved by the Early Intervention Agencies Committee
3-20-01

1. Name
   
   The name of this group shall be the "Early Intervention Interagency Management Team", herein referenced as EIIMT.
   
   
2. Membership
   
   The members of the EIIMT are appointed by the Early Intervention Agencies Committee (herein referenced as EIAC) and include one representative from each of the following state agencies (as delineated in the Code of Virginia, Title 2.1, Chapter 46):
   • Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS);
   • Department of Health (VDH);
   • Department of Social Services (DSS);
   • Department of Education (VDE);
   • Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH);
   • Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired
   • Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities (DRVD);
   • Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS); and
   • State Corporation Commission (SCC), Bureau of Insurance.
   The EIIMT shall also include one parent representative. The Chair of the Virginia Interagency Coordinating Council (herein referenced as VICC) shall serve as a non-voting member of the EIIMT.
   The specific duties of members of the EIIMT include:
   • Collaboratively develop policies for recommendation to the EIAC;
   • Develop funding recommendations to the EIAC (review expenditures, prepare and present draft budget and budget revisions);
   • Keep their agency head apprised of early intervention issues, accomplishments and needs, and facilitate interagency communication and decision-making in the interims between EIAC meetings;
   • Ensure the provision of training and technical assistance to local councils and to local agency counterparts;
   • Assist with monitoring of the interagency system of early intervention services as required by federal regulations pertaining to infants and toddlers with disabilities under IDEA; and
   • Participate in site reviews in response to local councils' requests for funding
   Persons representing public agencies shall file a statement of economic interest as set out in Section 2.1-639.15 of State and Local Government Conflict of Interest Act if required to do so pursuant to that Act.


3. Officers
   
   There will be a Chair and a Vice-Chair, each serving one-year terms. Verbal nominations and elections will occur at the last meeting of the federal fiscal year.
   1. The specific duties of the Chair shall include the following:
      • Facilitate all EIIMT meetings, or designate an alternate team member
        to serve as facilitator if unable to attend;
      • Convene special and/or emergency meetings of the EIIMT;
      • Provide input into meeting agendas;
      • Appoint subcommittee chairs;
      • Serve on committees or workgroups as feasible;
      • Serve on the Steering Committee of the VICC;
      • Collaborate with Part C staff for development of letters, reports, and presentations;
      • Sign interagency letters to local councils on behalf of the EIIMT;
      • Represent the EIIMT at meetings of the EIAC; and
      • Provide the EIIMT report to the VICC at its quarterly meetings.
   2. To assist the Chair in meeting his/her responsibilities, the Part C Lead Agency will:
      • Draft outbound correspondence (including interagency letters, routine correspondence, etc.) and forward it for review and approval prior to disseminating to the EIIMT and the field;
      • Draft meeting agendas and meeting minutes;
      • Disseminate information from the Chair to EIIMT members;
      • Draft the EIIMT report to the VICC;
      • Meet regularly with the Chair to discuss issues and concerns;
      • Communicate EIIMT information and requests to the Lead Agency Commissioner; and
      • Develop speeches and presentations regarding Virginia's Part C early intervention system as needed.
        
        
4. Attendance at Meetings
   
   A quorum of the EIIMT consists of five (5) members. In the absence of a quorum, members in attendance may discuss issues and develop recommendations for EIIMT consideration at a later date but may not take action on items requiring the approval of a quorum. Members are required to provide advance notification if they are unable to attend.
   
   
5. Agenda
   
   A tentative meeting agenda will be set at the end of the previous meeting. Members should submit additional agenda items to the Chair or to a designated Part C Lead Agency staff member who will finalize the agenda and disseminate it to all members prior to the next meeting.
   Routine agenda items for each meeting are as follows:
   • Attendance recorded
   • Review and approval of minutes from previous meeting
   • Agency reports - actions and information impacting infants and toddlers 0-3
   • Follow up from previous meetings, EIAC meetings and VICC meetings
   • Information from the field, CoCoA reports and requests
   • Committee reports (if applicable)
   • Set next meeting's agenda and confirm date and location
   • Review of year-to-date local interagency coordinating council (LICC) expenditures (QUARTERLY)
     
     
6. Frequency of Meetings
   
   The EIIMT will meet monthly or at the call of the Chair. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair as needed.
   
   
7. Minutes
   
   A designated Part C staff member will take minutes at each meeting. In order to ensure that EIIMT information is shared with localities in a timely manner, electronic approval of meeting minutes (i.e., via e-mail) is authorized. Minutes will be distributed to EIIMT members, the Chair of the VICC, and Part C staff and will be posted on the Virginia Babies Can't Wait! website.
   
   
8. Decision-Making Process
   
   Consensus decision-making will be used. However, if consensus cannot be reached, a note will be made in the minutes and a vote will be taken on that issue at the next meeting. There will be one vote per agency and one parent vote. A majority is defined as least two thirds of those voting. Members recognize that votes taken in their absence (or in the absence of their alternates) are binding. There will be opportunity for minority report on issues decided by voting. Communication and decision-making/voting can also occur between meetings via email, fax, and/or telephone.
   
   
9. Work Plan
   
   A work plan is developed in conjunction with the Virginia Interagency Coordinating Council and the Part C office and is reviewed at least annually and updated as indicated. Committees may be established in order to carry out the work plan.
   
   
10. Relationship with VICC and Its Committees
    
    Most members of the EIIMT are also members of the VICC. The VICC Chair is a non-voting member of the EIIMT. The EIIMT will report on its activities at each VICC meeting. The EIIMT will request input and assistance from the VICC on specific issues as they arise, will request budget recommendations from the VICC annually, will review the workplans of each VICC committee annually, and will receive, review and, when appropriate, act upon recommendations of the VICC.
    
    
11. Issues Process
    
    The following guidelines are to be used in deciding what issues should be brought to the EIIMT for decisions:
    
    

    Lead Agency Staff	EIIMT	Individual Agency/EIIMT Member
    Established policy exists Routine, day-to-day questions Technical policy research	Interagency implications Policy development and interpretation No existing policy Financial issues and system budget	Agency-specific issues Established policy exists

    
    Decisions made by any participating State agency that may have implications for the Part C system or any component thereof should be communicated to the State's Part C Coordinator.