Letter to Government, Dr. M Guralnick, International Society for Early Intervention (ISEI)

The Infant Development Program of British Columbia has become a model and standard of care for vulnerable children and their families in the international community. It is well recognized that the key to this success has been the leadership provided by the Provincial Office. In fact, the administrative procedures developed and implemented by the Infant Development Program Provincial Advisor, Dana Brynelson, and her staff, have been utilized worldwide by early intervention professionals and administrators. This resource was selected to be made available to professionals in nearly 100 countries through the Professional Training Resource Library established by the International Society on Early Intervention.
As Chair of the International Society on Early Intervention, I was shocked to learn that the Ministry for Children and Family Development is eliminating this critical resource. The field of early intervention has learned all too well that implementation and coordination of the most effective care can only occur through expert leadership, through the design and implementation of continuing education programs for practitioners, and through collaborations with researchers to develop innovative strategies.
All of these and so many other vital resources will clearly be lost in the absence of the staff in the Provincial Office. Although some cost savings may be initially achieved, reduction in the quality of services which is sure to follow will clearly result in the need for far more extensive services for children in the years ahead. As the major representative of the international community of early intervention, and as your neighbor to the south who has both appreciated and utilized the sophisticated resources provided by the Provincial Office, I would strongly encourage you to consider reversing this decision.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Guralnick, Ph.D.
Chair, International Society on Early Intervention