About the Committee
The Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Advisory Committee, which is required by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, advises the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Division for Early Childhood Intervention Services on development and implementation of policies that constitute the statewide ECI system. The governor appoints the committee members.
The federal law establishing the system of early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities is Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In Texas, the Part C program is Early Childhood Intervention. ECI is a division of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
Each state that operates a Part C program must include as a part of its program an advisory council. Part C of the IDEA calls that council the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC). The HHSC/ECI ICC is the ECI Advisory Committee. The function of the Advisory Committee is to advise and assist HHSC/ECI in its operation of the statewide system of providing ECI services to eligible children and families in Texas. The multidisciplinary and multi-constituency representation on the Advisory Committee contributes to making it an important part of the ECI system. It is ECI’s major source of stakeholder input.
The specific requirements for membership on the ICC are a combination of federal (34 C.F.R. Part 303, Subpart G §303.600-605) and state (T.A.C.§101.507) regulations. The membership requirements are listed below.
Members
Holly Sanchez, Chair
4400 Cardova Lane
McKinney, TX 75070
Cell: 214-608-0371
Happycappy48@gmail.com
Appointment Data: 09-26-11
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Parent
Pattie Rosenlund, Program Director, Chair-Elect
Easter Seals Rio Grande Valley, Inc.
1217 Houston St.
McAllen, TX 78505
Work: 956-631-9171
Fax: 956-683-0448
prosenlund@easterseals-rgv.org
Appointment Date: 09-26-11
Term Expires: 02-01-19
Program Representative
Sarah Abrahams
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
2535 Ridgepoint Drive
Austin, TX 78754
Work: 512-840-7811
sarah.abrahams@dfps.state.tx.us
Appointment Date: 12-17-13
Term Expires: 02-01-15
HHSC Medicaid Representative
Richard Adams, M.D.
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
2222 Welborn St.
Dallas, TX 75219-3924
Work: 214-559-7857
Fax: 214-559-7835
Richard.Adams@tsrh.org
Appointment Date: 09-20-06
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Physician Representative
Terrie Breeden
Texas Education Agency
Division of Special Education
1701 North Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701-1494
Work: 512-463-9414
Fax: 512-463-9560
terrie.breeden@tea.state.tx.us
Appointment Date: 12-17-13
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Agency Representative
John Cissik
3600 Cherry Blossom Lane
McKinney, TX 75070
Home: 972-547-6707
Work: 940-898-2901
Fax: 940-898-2910
jcissik@yahoo.com
Appointment Date: 02-23-11
Term Expires: 02-01-15
Parent
Emily Ocker Dean
Hardin-Simmons University
2200 Hickory St
Abilene, TX 79698
Emily.O.Dean@hsutx.edu
Appointment Date: 12-17-13
Term Expires: 02-1-19
Personnel Preparation Representative
Alferma Giles, Ph.D.
7000 Fannin St., Suite 1920
Houston, TX 77030
Work: 713-500-3835
Fax: 713-500-3820
alferma.crawford@uth.tmc.edu
Appointment Date: 08-05-14
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Head Start Representative
Laura Logan Kender, Program Director
ECI of North Central Texas
3880 Hulen St., Suite 400
MHMRTC/ECI #3100
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Work: 817-569-5301
Fax: 817-569-4492
laura.kender@mhmrtc.org
Appointment Date: 03-19-03
Term Expires: 02-01-15
Program Representative
Barbara Knighton
523 Joshua Lee Lane
Spring, TX 77386
Home: 832-364-6992
jsk01@hometech-e.com
Appointment Date: 09-26-11
Term Expires: 02-01-19
Parent
Katherine (Kathy) Lee
2401 S. 31st
Temple, TX 76508
Work: 254-298-3062
Fax: 254-298-3044
Cell: 254-291-7826
kathylee89@live.com
Appointment Date: 09-20-06
Term Expires: 02-01-15
Parent
Manda Lee-Waldrep Hall, M.D.
Texas Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 149347
MC 1938
Austin, TX 78714
Work: 512-776-2567
Fax: 512-776-7417
Manda.hall@dshs.state.tx.us
Appointment Date: 05-20-14
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Agency Representative
Karen Leigh Meyer
7510 Robin Rest Drive
San Antonio, TX 78209
Home: 210-722-6286
Fax: 210-832-5898
karenmeyer.speech@gmail.com
Appointment Date: 09-26-11
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Parent
Kristine Mohajer
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
701 West 51st Street, Mail Code W157
Austin, Texas 78751-2312
Work: 512-438-3147
Kristine.Mohajer@dfps.state.tx.us
Appointment date: 11-15-16
Term expires: 02-01-19
Agency Representative
Harvey Salinas
Serco of Texas (Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend)
5858 South Padre Island Drive, Suite #1
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
Work: 361-882-7491
Fax: 361-985-0281
harvey.salinas@workforcesolutionscb.org
Appointment Date: 06-14-07
Term Expires: 02-01-19
Parent
Jeanne Stamp, LCSW, LMFT, LCDC, ACSW, Project Director
The Texas Homeless Education Office
1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 3.206
Austin, TX 78701
Work: 512-475-8765
jeannestamp@austin.utexas.edu
Appointment Date: 09-20-06
Term Expires: 02-01-15
Homeless Youth Representative
Lynn Davis Sullivan
Region 11 Education Service Center
3001 North Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76106-6526
Work: 817-740-7551
Fax: 817-740-3627
lsullivan@esc11.net
Appointment Date: 09-20-01
Term Expires: 02-01-19
Public Provider
Benna Hull Timperlake
2001 Ocean Drive
Corpus Christi, TX 78404
Home: 361-688-0688
bennat@swbell.net
Appointment Date: 02-23-11
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Ex Officio
Philip Warner
Texas Workforce Commission
101 E. 15th St., Room 440T
Austin, TX 78701-1919
Work: 512-936-3226
Fax: 512-463-7379
Philip.Warner@twc.state.tx.us
Appointment Date: 04-23-12
Term Expires: 04-18-15
Ex Officio
Laura Warren
Texas Parent to Parent
3710 Cedar St., Box 12
Austin, TX 78705-1449
Work: 512-458-8600
Fax: 512-451-3110
Laura@txp2p.org
Appointment Date: 12-17-13
Term Expires: 02-01-17
Advocate Representative
Vacant
Parent Representative
Program Representative
Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Agency Representative
State Legislative Representative
Number of members
24 members appointed by the Governor (excludes ex officio members)
Composition
The following are appointed by the Governor. Members representing state agencies are nominated by their commissioners.
- Parents: At least 7 members must be parents of children age 12 or under who have knowledge or experience with programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities. One of the 7 must have a child age 6 or under. No parent member can be employed by an ECI contractor. Because of the value ECI places on its parent members, the Committee by-laws require that at least 1 parent be present at each meeting to have a quorum.
- Service Providers: Five of the members must be public or private providers of ECI services. One of the 5 must be from an Education Service Center.
- State Legislature: One member representing the State Legislature.
- Personnel Preparation: One member in the field of personnel preparation.
- Health Insurance: One member from the state agency responsible for regulation of health insurance (TDI).
- Child Care agency: One member from a state agency responsible for child care services.
- Head Start: One member representing a Head Start program or agency.
- Homeless children and youth: One member designated by the Office of Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth.
- State Medicaid agency: One member from the agency responsible for the State Medicaid program (HHSC).
- State Education Agency: One member from the Texas Education Agency, with responsibilities for preschool services to infants and toddlers with disabilities.
- Foster Care: One member from the state agency responsible for foster care (DFPS).
- Advocate: One member who is a professional advocate for the rights of young children with developmental disabilities.
- Physician: One member who is a physician, preferably a pediatrician, who deals with young children with developmental disabilities.
- Ex-officio members: The HHSC Commissioner can appoint additional “ex officio” members to perform specific time-limited tasks as needed by the Committee. They serve as non-voting members.
Responsibilities of Advisory Committee members
- Providing information on proposed ECI policies.
- Identifying issues it would like addressed by HHSC.
- Bringing input and information from constituents they represent to the attention of the Committee and to ECI.
- Assisting in the statewide distribution of information, such as opportunities for public comment or input.
- Recommending strategies to the ECI state office to address system-wide issues or concerns.
Length of Terms
Members serve staggered 6-year terms with terms of 8 members expiring February 1 of each odd numbered year.
Meetings
The Committee is required to meet quarterly. Most meetings are held in Austin in the Brown-Heatly Building.
Federal Rules Regarding ECI Referrals
Federal regulations implementing Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) require the state to have procedures for use by primary referral sources in referring children under age 3 to ECI. The intent of the regulation is that families who may need services for their children get information about the availability of a program funded to help their child and family as soon as possible after a delay or disability is identified.
Information also is available at 34 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Sec. 303.303 (a)(2)(i).
Bylaws
Resources
New Member Orientation
For More Information
HHSC ECI
1100 West 49th Street, 4th Floor, MC 3029
Austin, Texas 78756
512-776-4326