After the success of the Atlanta Regional Training ICDL is pleased to announce the Washington, DC Regional Training which will take place from November 9 through November 11, 2011.

Many candidates are eager to continue their work toward a DIR Certificate and many professionals are eager to begin this learning process.  ICDL is being responsive to these needs by developing more local and regional, as well as online, opportunities that will make this training more accessible to practitioners throughout the world. Candidates will learn how to apply this dynamic, developmental approach across disciplines and in various environments to help children master capacities across a wide range of mental health, developmental, regulatory-sensory processing, language, and learning challenges.

We expect to have DIRB, DIRC1, DIR C2, and DIRC3 level participants. The basic format will follow that of the national summer Institute, with some adjustments for the much smaller size of the regional training, as incorporated already in the very successful Atlanta regional training.  Participation in the Washington DC Regional Training will be equivalent to participation at a national Institute; in other words, candidates working towards a DIR® certificate can fulfill requirements at this training. The teaching staff will comprise ICDL Faculty and Facilitators and will represent all of the major disciplines (Mental Health, Education, OT/PT, Speech/Language).  The Washington, DC Regional Training will incorporate some format changes intended to improve the participant experience, including a more supportive feedback process.  The training will also include discipline-specific discussions, model cases, and the opportunity to receive private feedback on case presentations.  The Washington, DC Regional Training will take place at the Hilton Washington, DC/Rockville Hotel and Executive Meeting Center in Rockville, Maryland, an outstanding location near the Strathmore Performing Arts Center and Metro-Twinbrook Station. The short walk to the metro gives participants access to the National Zoo, the White House as well as many other area attractions. in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

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The DIR C Program

Goal: The DIRC Program provides in-depth advanced levels of education to assure the quality and recognition of DIR® competencies.  

DIR® Certificates are granted within the discipline or license candidates have already acquired, i.e., DIR® Certificate as a psychologist, occupational or speech therapist, special educator, etc. The DIR C program is comprised of the DIR C1, DIR C2 and (optional) DIR C3 curriculums.

Who Can Attend: Professionals that are licensed or credentialed from the following disciplines are invited to attend including: education, special education, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy, developmental optometry (visuo-cognitive therapy), art, drama, and music therapy, clinical social work, marriage and family therapists, nursing, pediatrics, developmental pediatrics, child psychiatry, infant mental health, clinical social work, developmental and clinical psychology. Specialization in developmental and learning disorders and infant mental health is welcome.

Pre-Requisites: For those who have completed the DIRB program or have advanced training and experience, intent on working towards the “DIR® Certificate” .  Applicant should consider  this program if you have completed the DIRB program, have completed the PLAY project training program as a PLAY project consultant, have completed a DIRB level at a regional training site (e.g. Argentina, Atlanta or California) or have completed a DIRB equivalent course offered in an academic setting by a DIR faculty or facilitator, who will recommend you for direct entry into DIRC1.

Eligibility: The program is designed for licensed and credentialed professionals from different disciplines who apply DIR® principles and practices in their existing areas of expertise and specialization in their work with children and adolescents with developmental, learning and infant mental health challenges.

To enter the program you are expected to have some range of experience in your discipline working within the DIR® framework to conduct assessment and intervention, utilizing developmental and sensory processing profiles, and relationship/caregiver patterns. During the course of the program you will be expected to demonstrate competencies working long term across a range of children through case presentations and a written case, as well as to complete professional development requirements (individual and group tutoring).

Applicants who have completed their required course of study and are working on post-graduate hours for licensing purposes under supervision, are invited to apply with the understanding they will have to have their license before continuing to the second level of the DIRC program (e.g., a psychologist who has his/her Ph.D. or Psy.D. but has not yet completed post-doctoral hours for licensing). 

Certificate Requirements:  Acquisition of the Certificate is based on the demonstration of clinical or educational competencies through a sequence of three case presentations (vignette, clinical challenges and long term case) at a minimum of two regional trainings (DIRC 1 and DIRC 2). This is followed by submission of written case (does not require attending the program after completing the DIR C1 and DIR C2 Programs). Candidates have the OPTION of presenting their final case as a DIR C 3 participant. Cases cannot be repeated and should be identified as early as possible.

Tuition

How to Apply

• Send an e-mail to DIRFloortimeTraining@icdl.com (Subject: Registration for Washington, DC Regional Training) and attach the following documents:
  
  
  • A completed DIR C1 Registration Form or
  • DIR C2 Registration Form
  • Updated CV or resume
  • Please email DIRFloortimeTraining@icdl.com if you are interested in the DIR C3 program.
• Fax a copy of your license or teaching credential to 301-979-7011.
• If you don't have a clinical license or teaching credential, please explain your special circumstances in the e-mail that you will send to DIRFloortimeTraining@icdl.com with the above listed attachments
• Ask one professional who knows your work (returning candidates should have their tutor submit a recommendation letter on their behalf) , to e-mail a recommendation letter to DIRFloortimeTraining@icdl.com  (Subject of the e-mail: "Recommendation for [your name] - Washington, DC Regional Training"

Presentation Guidelines:

• DIR® C I Orientation and Guidelines
• DIR® C II
  • Clinical Reflection Guidelines
  • Long Term Challenge Guidelines
• DIR® C III
  • Final Paper Proposal Template 
  • Final Written Paper Guidelines 

Certificate process:

• Finding a Tutor:  Tutoring is often arranged at the training once you get to know the faculty and facilitators.  We also help arrange this following each the completion of your first DIR®/Floortime™ Training Program.
• Feedback: Group and individual feedback and consultation are provided during the program.
• Optional Opportunity:  DIRC 3 will be available to level III candidates who would like the opportunity to present their final assignment case(s) in an advanced group.  DIRC3  will focus on specific diagnostic subgroups, complex clinical challenges, advanced family work, long term outcomes, writing up cases, providing tutoring, and outcome evaluation.

DIR C Program Features:

• Faculty includes nationally known DIR® experts across disciplines including education, speech and occupational therapies, social work, psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics.
• Floortime Focus – Daily sessions focus on the practice of Floortime at different developmental levels and integrating Floortime™ into specific therapies and educational practice. The principles and challenges of Floortime, as well as parent coaching and training of Floortime players  is addressed.
• Case based discussion groups - Candidates will participate in small  group discussions (average 10-12 candidates) led by interdisciplinary ICDL faculty and facilitators, who support and facilitate each participant presentation and discussion.  
• Feedback. Each candidate will receive individualized feedback in a private session with faculty members and facilitators who lead their small group discussions. In addition to the small group discussions, model case presentations,  conversation hours with ICDL faculty, facilitators panel and clinical case discussions and special lectures. Videotaped case illustrations are used extensively. 
• Continuing Education:  The DIR®/Floortime™ Training Program offers OT continuing education as an approved AOTA CE provider. A certificate of attendance describing the Training Program can be used for maintenance hours by SLPs and educators.  Since not all participants seek CE units, it has not been built into the tuition to keep this cost as low as possible, a small separate fee of $40.00 is applied.
• Networking Opportunities – participants will have the opportunity to interact with wider range of professionals from around the world in general sessions and more intimately in small case discussion groups.  We also organize opportunities to meet with an expansive group of colleagues from your region or your discipline,  during mealtimes and breaks. 

The DIR®/Floortime™Training Program is a responsive to the educational needs of its candidates and services needed.  ICDL reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to alter, amend, expand or otherwise modify the requirements for the program, at any time, without notice. The determination as to a candidate's successful completion of the Program requirements will be solely that of ICDL and the DIR®/Floortime™ Training Program.

DIR® is a registered trademark of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, ICDL