Family Voices Indiana

Your baby is able to communicate with you long before he or she speaks a single word! A baby's cry, smile, and responses to you help you to understand his or her needs. Learn how children communicate and what to do when there are concerns about delays in development. Milestones during the first 2 years Children develop at different rates, but they usually are able to do certain things at certain ages. Following are general  developmental milestones . Keep in mind that they are only guidelines. If you have  any  questions about your baby's development, ask your child's doctor—the sooner the better. Even when there are delays, early intervention can make a significant difference. By 1 year most babies will Look for and be able to find where a sound is coming from. Respond to their name most of the time when you call it. Wave goodbye . Look where you point when you say, "Look at the _________." Babble with intonation (voice rises and falls as

The best way to prevent aggressive behavior is to give your child a stable, secure home life with firm, loving discipline and full-time supervision during the  toddler  and  preschool  years. Everyone who cares for your child should be a good role model and agree on the rules he’s expected to observe as well as the response to use if he disobeys. Whenever he breaks an important rule, he should be  reprimanded   immediately  so that he understands exactly what he’s done wrong. Children don’t know the rules of the house until they’re taught them, so that is one of your important parenting responsibilities. Toddlers are normally interested in  touching and exploring , so if there are valuables you don’t want them to handle, hide or remove them. Consider setting up a separate portion of your home where he can play with books and toys. For discipline to be most effective, it should take place on an ongoing basis, not just when your child misbehaves. In fact, it begins with parents smi

The following announcement from DDRS includes rate increases for some services. While this may allow providers to better attract staff, it also impacts your budget and may reduce services. Be sure to talk to your case manager about potential impacts to your budget. On April 13, 2016, the Indiana Family and Social Service Administration (FSSA) Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) announced its intent to submit proposed amendments to the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) Waiver and the Family Support Waiver (FSW) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for consideration. The waiver amendments were available for review and public comment on the DDRS Draft Policies for Public Comment Web page from April 13, 2016, through May 12, 2016. The amendments include information regarding provider rate increases.  Pursuant to legislative mandate, Indiana House Enrolled Act 1001, effective July 1, 2015 - section 137, page 169, a 2.5 percent rate in

Research shows that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. 1  Scientists are discovering that changes in the body leading to mental illness may start much earlier, before any symptoms appear. Through greater understanding of when and how fast specific areas of children's brains develop, we are learning more about the early stages of a wide range of mental illnesses that appear later in life. Helping young children and their parents manage difficulties early in life may prevent the development of disorders. Once mental illness develops, it becomes a regular part of your child's behavior and more difficult to treat. Even though we know how to treat (though not yet cure) many disorders, many children with mental illnesses are not getting treatment. This fact sheet addresses common questions about diagnosis and treatment options for children with mental illnesses. Disorders affecting children may include  anxiety disorders ,  attention deficit hyperactiv

ChildCareFinder.IN.gov  provides an easy search of licensed centers and homes, registered ministries and other child care providers in Indiana Indianapolis,  September 20, 2016  – The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) today announced a major step forward in providing a new, online tool to assist families in finding child care and early education providers for their children throughout the state.  ChildCareFinder.IN.gov , one of several online enhancements FSSA is making to help people find services in their area, will allow families to perform detailed searches to help them find child care to meet their needs. “We know that finding convenient, safe and reliable child care is critical in helping parents get to work and perform their jobs effectively,” said FSSA Secretary Dr. John J. Wernert. “We also know that finding resources to identify child cares based on all those factors has not always been easy for parents and guardians in Indiana. That’s why we