As TEIS has evolved over the past 14 years, tasks of the TA office have also changed. Initially involved with assisting district offices in system development, including data collection to highlight strengths and needs in early intervention statewide, TA has become an office of support to district TEIS offices, service providers, families, and to the lead agency.

    One major component of TEIS–TA is training. A yearly statewide training calendar is developed, based on needs identified by TEIS offices, service providers, families, and the lead agency. These workshops cover theory, best practices, philosophy, and hands-on practice. Training topics include tools used in eligibility evaluation (Battelle, DAYC, IDA), Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) development, adaptive play for infants and toddlers, working with infants and toddlers who are medically fragile, cultural diversity, providing services in natural environments, working with drug-exposed infants and toddlers, and sensory processing. Participation, including more family members and many school system pre-school personnel, in workshops has increased dramatically during the past two years.

    Through the years, TA has been the center of data collection for TEIS. One consistent piece of data, which has been collected since 1989, is a federal child count, yearly on December 1, based on infants and toddlers served by early intervention statewide. The count provides vital data to local, state, and national agencies. As TEIS has grown, TA has developed a comprehensive data collection system that includes referrals to TEIS, intakes, IFSP meetings, services provided, evaluations, transitions, and expenditures.

    Each year, a central directory of services for each district is updated and published. This directory serves as a resource guide for families and anyone working for and with children and families in the region. Initially under the direction of Dr. Lynda Pearl, both TEIS–TA and TEIS–FT are now guided by Dr. Clarissa Willis.