Cynthia O. Vail, an associate professor in special education, has been reappointed to Georgia’s state Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Intervention (ICC).

 The ICC advises the Department of Human Resources (DHR), the Division of Public Health and other agencies responsible for serving children, from birth to age three, with developmental delays and disabilities and their families, in providing a family-centered, comprehensive service delivery system which promotes child development and family functioning.

 Federal legislation for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families (Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires a comprehensive statewide system of coordinated early intervention services.  In Georgia, this system is called Babies Can’t Wait (BCW) and the lead agency is the DHR.

 Experience has shown that families with young children with disabilities frequently require a range of services which cannot be provided entirely by a single agency. Congress recognized the need for a group outside the lead agency to “advise and assist” in the development of such a system.

 Members of the state ICC are appointed by the governor and serve independently of any particular agency.
 Vail has served on the state ICC since her original appointment by Gov. Zell Miller in 1998. She currently presides as chairperson of the council.

 Vail, who joined the UGA faculty in 1989, specializes in early childhood special education (birth-8 years). She received her Ph.D. from Florida State University and has co-directed two masters-level teacher preparation grants and three leadership doctoral grants all with an early childhood special education focus or component.

 She currently co-directs an Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program that prepares future leaders in Early Intervention. Along with early intervention, her other areas of  expertise include collaboration among professionals and families, behavior disorders, autism, and play as it relates to young children with disabilities.

Tuesday, February 11, 2003
WRITER: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
CONTACT: Cynthia Vail, 706/542-4578, cvail@coe.uga.edu