Regional Collaborative - Northampton

Northampton County Collaborative

Contact Information

Desiree Yeager, Program Specialist, dyeager@northamptoncounty.org

Communication and Meetings Structure

We are now holding meetings monthly via Zoom.  We also have a planning sub-committee that focuses on planning and organizing our presentation series that meets as needed.  Please email Meranda at MerandaHess@lehighcounty.org if you are interested in joining either the general meeting or the planning sub-committee.

Goals, next steps or actions plans

Our collaborative has been focused on a training series for families/self-advocates.  We have used feedback gathered from families/self-advocates, and the professionals who work closely with them, to identify what families/self-advocates want to know more about.  Our November presentation will be focused on what to expect when newly enrolled in an ID/A Waiver.  We are hoping to also coordinate some future presentations on how to access home health services for individuals under 21 and Community HealthChoices Waivers.

AE/SCO/Provider/DHS/Broad Community Partners Represented within Collaborative:

Current members include: Northampton County Administrative Entity, Quality Progressions SCO, SAM Inc. SCO, Debbie Mehler (Community Partner), local parents, HCQU, Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, IU20 Taskforce Representative, Via of the Lehigh Valley, LVCIL, and Northampton County Early Intervention. At our upcoming meeting we will host additional prospective members including: another parent partner, a representative from the PA Family Network, an Assistant Professor from the Special Education Department at Lehigh University, and a contact from Innovating for Justice (Legal Advocacy for Special Education and Disability Rights).