Caring Connections
The SIUC Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development (CRHSSD) in partnership with Shawnee Health Services and Williamson County Special Education District facilitate the development of the Illinois innovative project entitled the Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program. This Caring Connections Coalition includes representatives of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development (CRHSSD), Shawnee Health Services (SHS), and the Williamson County Special Education District (WCSED).
The overarching program goals for the Caring Connections Program include the following: 1) The Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program will build telehealth infrastructure within WCSED; 2) the Caring Connections Coalition will plan, implement, and evaluate the Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program; 3) the Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program will increase parent satisfaction and comfort regarding the IEP process; 4) The Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program will improve IEP team member satisfaction and comfort regarding the IEP process; and 5) the Caring Connections IEP Enhancement Program students will demonstrate an increase in attendance and fewer behavioral problems.
The main priorities of the CCC are to include a psychiatrist and professional health navigators in the Individual Education Plan
(IEP) process in schools of Williamson County, Illinois. This project is especially important given that Williamson County is designated as a mental health profession shortage area and a medically underserved area. Currently, there only two child and adolescent psychiatrists in the Illinois Delta Region, and Shawnee Health Service employs both of these psychiatrists. Shawnee has agreed to dedicate a portion of child and adolescent psychiatrist time to this project. Williamson County Special Education District has agreed to dedicate the time of a professional health navigator familiar with the IEP process. The CCC has also developed a strategy whereby the Caring Connections project would be maintained after the end of United States Health and Human Resources funding.