Professional Development
Shishmanian Fellowship
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is pleased to announce the Shishmanian Fellowship awards to support senior practitioners to expand their knowledge and skills in an area of interest, and students entering the field of early intervention during their internship in a DPH-certified Early Intervention Program.
Eunice Shishmanian, visionary and teacher
Fellowships are awarded each year to honor Eunice Shishmanian, whose vision and dedication to the needs of very young children and their families internationally serve as a model for all of us. As a nurse, Eunice has devoted her career to Maternal Child Health initiatives and has been a leader in supporting families who have children experiencing developmental challenges. As the first chair of the Massachusetts Early Intervention Interagency Coordinating Council, Eunice helped shape the foundation for a system which continues to individualize supports and services to young children and their families. Currently, Eunice is a member of the interdisciplinary faculty team at Northeastern University, preparing students in five disciplines to be Early Intervention Specialists.
General Fellowship Information
Lifelong learning is essential to early intervention professionals and students entering their careers in early intervention. In this way, they enrich their own knowledge and skills to support the dreams and aspirations of families as they enhance and celebrate the development of their babies and toddlers. Within a dynamic and complex system, early interventionists need to fill and refill their cup of inquiry, new knowledge and skills. The Shishmanian Fellowships provide a unique opportunity to obtain assistance for professional development for early interventionists.
The Shishmanian Fellowships are funded and administered through DPH, Division of Perinatal, Early Childhood, and Special Health Needs, Early Intervention Services.
Senior Practitioner Fellowship
Download an MS Word version of the application and information
Senior Practitioner Fellowships provide experienced early interventionists time and resources to enhance their professional development. Applicants may propose a demonstration project, an apprenticeship related to the needs of young children and their families, or another mode of directed learning to expand their knowledge and skills in a particular area of early intervention. Applicants may apply as individuals or as a collaborative group.
Up to three Fellowships of $2,000 each will be granted for use from November 2009 through May 2010. Funds may be used for materials, consultation, or to support release time. Up to half the funds can be used to help defray the cost of coursework or training necessary to support the outcomes of the project. Funds cannot be used for capital improvements or purchase of equipment or furniture.
Who can apply?
An individual with five years of experience in early intervention, or a group of up to five individuals whose lead practitioner has five years of experience in early intervention may apply. Other team members may include both junior and senior practitioners. Recipients must make a commitment to continue to work in the Massachusetts Early Intervention system for at least one year after the completion of their Fellowships. To make this award available throughout the Early Intervention community, Shishmanian Fellowships for Senior Practitioners will not be awarded to individuals in the same program for two consecutive years.
For team members working towards Certification as Early Intervention Specialists, it may be possible to use the Fellowship as a contribution to the field required in the Professionalism Entry (Entry 2), depending on the nature of the project. If the Fellowship involves specific training for team members, other competency education credits (CECs) may be available.
How will applications be reviewed?
Applications are reviewed by a team that may include representatives from Early Intervention Programs, personnel preparation programs,families currently or recently involved with early intervention, and the Early Intervention Training Center of the Department of Public Health. Applications are rated for content, relevance to the field, enhanced collaboration, innovation and the use and promotion of natural learning opportunities and natural settings. Reviewers look for clarity and feasibility.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2009 | applications due |
| October 29, 2009 | applications reviewed |
| November 15, 2009 | awards announced |
| May, 2010 | final reports due; which may include poster presentations at the conference of the Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium |
What types of projects have been previously funded?
Examples of projects funded recently are:
- An interdisplinary collaborative group learned to administer a communication assessment and expanded their program's capacity to serve and support young children on the autism spectrum and their families.
- An individual created augmentative communication materials in Spanish.
- Specialists from two programs developed text for a children's book to support sisters and brothers of infants and toddlers enrolled in early intervention.
- Two individuals from different disciplines initiated an inventory for a family room at a child care/early intervention collaborative site.
- An individual participated in a nine-month direct learning experience on caregiver-child interaction.
Senior Practitioners Required Materials
- Application Page, signed
- Description of your proposed project (limited to 5 pages), including:
- The goals of the project and the outcomes you expect
- A description of how the project will benefit you as well as young children, families, colleagues, and community collaborators
- Methods of development of the project
- How families will be involved in the project
- How your project will promote supports and services in natural settings
- If an apprenticeship is proposed: the goals of the apprenticeship, with a letter from the proposed preceptor outlining content and time commitment
- If a portion of the award will be used to defray costs of supporting coursework or training: the training title, instructor, duration, description, and expected benefits to the project
- Additional expertise and technical supports available to the applicants for the project or how funds from the award will be used to obtain this via consultation
- Timeline for development and completion
- Budget, up to $2000, detailing how the money will be used, including
- Personnel time and Consultants (names and fees)
- Materials (list), with estimated amounts
- Other costs (for example: travel, copying), with estimated amounts
- Current resumes of lead practitioner and team collaborators
- Letters of commitment from any collaborators outside of your program
- Two letters, supporting the concept of the project and the qualifications of the applicant (one from a colleague or supervisor; and one from a family who has received early intervention supports and services from the lead applicant)
- Letter from your program director documenting your length of employment in early intervention.
- Please Note:
- Not more than half of the award can be used to defray the cost of courses or other formal education
- Awards cannot be used for capital improvements or purchase of equipment or furniture
Send complete applications by October 15, 2009 to:
Susan Breen
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Susan.Breen@state.ma.us
617-624-5419
Student Fellowship
Download an MS Word version of the application and information
Who can apply?
Fellowships are granted to individuals enrolled in an accredited college program that will lead to a degree in early intervention, early childhood development, special education, nursing, speech and language pathology, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy or psychology. Fellowships are granted in conjunction with the applicant's internship or practicum in an Early Intervention Program certified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The practicum/internship must be at least 300 hours. Fellowships may also be granted to individuals employed in an Early Intervention Program and enrolled in an academic program of study leading towards an advanced degree or in an early intervention certificate program. Again, these awards are granted in conjunction with the applicant's internship or practicum of at least 300 hours in a DPH-certified Early Intervention Program.
Up to five Fellowships of $2,000 each will be granted for use during the '09-'10 academic year.
Recipients must make a commitment to work in the Massachusetts early intervention system for at least one year after the completion of their Fellowships.
How will applications be reviewed?
Applications are reviewed by a team that may include representatives from Early Intervention Programs, personnel preparation programs, families currently or recently involved with early intervention and the Department of Public Health.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2009 | applications due |
| October 29, 2009 | applications reviewed |
| November 15, 2009 | awards announced |
| May 2010 | final reports due |
Students Required Materials
- Application Page, signed
- Current resume
- Transcript of your academic work completed to date
- Letter of reference from your academic advisor or an instructor who is familiar with your work
- Letter from the director or clinical supervisor at a DPH-certified Early Intervention Program stating that a practicum placement is available to you at the site and for which semester(s)
- A statement, up to two pages, describing
- why you are interested in early intervention as a career
- the academic program in which you are enrolled and the number of credits you have remaining to earn before your degree or certificate is granted
Send complete applications by October 15, 2009 to:
Susan Breen
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Susan.Breen@state.ma.us
617-624-5419