Following the intake process, the intake coordinator/program manager will determine if a facilitation case will be open. When a case is opened, it will need to be “managed.” Certain roles and responsibilities may fall under the program manager, others may fall to the facilitator, and others will be the responsibility of the participating district, such as scheduling the IEP meeting and adhering to IDEA timelines. An important component of case management is having a useable data system in which the intake coordinator/program manager can easily input and access important facilitation program data and ideally, other dispute resolution data.
Critical Considerations
- How will various case management responsibilities be allocated? Who will share informational packets? Who is responsible for meeting logistics? Who is responsible for data collection, including evaluation? What will those processes look like? What are the expected timelines for various processes?
- How will facilitators be assigned? Do you want participant input, or will they be assigned independent of the parties?
- How will facilitators be acquired? Are facilitators independent contractors or SEA staff?
- What is the responsibility of the facilitator to inform the SEA/agency of progress or concerns?
- Define what information each user will need, for example:
- What information will the facilitator need to start working with the parties?
- What information will need to be collected to track for later system analysis?
- What information, if any, will self-populate other forms/emails to go to the parties?
Lessons Learned
- Ensure check-in points for the facilitator to communicate with the SEA/agency. For example, the facilitator may be required to:
- Inform the SEA/agency when the meeting is scheduled
- Fill out a completion form when a facilitation ends, reporting outcome
- Identify if additional meetings are planned
- Consider what information is documented. Assume that the parent and or district will read any comments recorded and be conscientious of what is put in writing and how it paints each party.
- Tie reporting to the agency with facilitator compensation. A facilitator doesn’t get paid until the paperwork is done!