Gerrie's Gazette June 2025

Family Spotlight

AzEIP Provides Hearing Services for Newborn, Family

In the case of Miquel and Courtney Arévalo, their daughter, Alina, was born in 2021 with a genetic condition that caused growth issues, deafness, and other disabilities. During the whirlwind of the first few months, which included a 44-day NICU stay for Alina, AzEIP was there to guide the family on next steps and connected them with a teacher of the deaf through the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, which started almost immediately after Alina’s discharge.

Read more about Alina and her personalized path through AzEIP.

Raising Special Kids is now Encircle Families

"After 26 years of Raising Special Kids, we recognized that our name did not fully capture the scope of support we provide to families. Additionally, youth and young adults with disabilities told us the word “special” felt outdated and didn’t reflect their identities or aspirations. In response, we embarked on a collaborative process to develop a name that truly represents our organization and the people we serve, ultimately choosing the name Encircle Families. It reflects our inclusive, whole-family approach and the supportive community we strive to build, where every person feels seen, heard, and empowered."

- Christopher Tiffany, Executive Director at Encircle Families

Public Participation Reminder

Public participation for a proposed new procedure - AzEIP Resolving Dispute Procedure is open for public comment.

The public comment period is open now until June 19, 2025. Submit any comments through the public comment form or by emailing azeip@azdes.gov (subject line: Public Comment).

Survey reminder for ddd eligible children

The Child Family Survey is part of the National Core Indicators that Arizona is implementing this year. The survey is administered to families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive services from the state. Arizona uses this survey to track the performance of the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) by focusing on the experiences of families who receive services.

Many families have been selected to complete this survey. If you were selected, you would have received a notification letter, a survey packet, and an access code.

Time is running out, and DDD needs your help! Your feedback is important to DDD and helps shape the policies, programs, and services the children in our state receive. If you would like to complete the survey and have an access code, please visit the NCI Family Surveys page. All family surveys are due by June 15, 2025. For more information, call the project team at 888-233-6003 (toll-free) or the DDD Customer Service Center at 844-770-9500 (toll-free).

Summer resources

Arizona Summer Food Service Program - All Arizona kids (ages 18 and under) are eligible for free meals through the Summer Food Service Program at participating schools and community sites across the state during the summer break. For more information, visit the AZ Health Zone website or call 1(800) 445-1914 for food assistance.

Did you know that summer heat relief resources are available? The Arizona Department of Health Services has a list of Cooling Centers, Hydration Stations, Respite Centers, and Donation Sites listed within the Arizona Heat Relief Network. To find the locations or learn more, visit heat.az.gov.

Save the date

AzEIP Family Connection

The next AzEIP Family Connection is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, 2025. This virtual format is for parents receiving Part C Early Intervention services to be able to engage with the AzEIP staff. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and experiences about the program with members of the AzEIP Leadership Team. You can join us at 12:00 pm or 6:00 pm via Zoom. More information to come on the AZ Early Childhood ICC Facebook Page.

If you are interested in participating and would like to be sent the meeting link, please call (602) 532-9960 or email azeip@azdes.gov to provide your email address. You do not need to pre-register to attend.

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