Purpose and Scope

Continued professional development is a priority at Thom Child and Family Services and, as an agency, we strive to support employees’ ongoing education. Thom’s Board of Directors proposed a program to provide staff access and support to pursue educational opportunities in two topic areas: (1) advanced clinical training, and (2) leadership and management. With the encouragement of the Executive Director and Training Department, Thom’s Board of Directors has developed the Phyllis A. Fazzio Scholarship Program. This scholarship program honors a longtime friend and former Board President, Phyllis Fazzio.

The Phyllis A. Fazzio Scholarship Program is designed to encourage and support employee development in two distinct training areas: advanced clinical skills, and leadership and management skills.

Eligibility

Employees who work at least 0.5 FTE, or equivalent if an hourly employee, are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Applicants must have also worked in the field of early intervention for at least 1 year.

Application Process

The scholarship application is to be completed online and must be submitted by May 3, 2024. Applicants will be notified of award decisions by June 30, 2024. All scholarship funding must be purchased and used within the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2024 and ends June 30, 2025.

Provisions

1. Proposed educational opportunities shall either be related to the employee’s job or provide for career development within Thom Child and Family Services. Applicants and their director must consider how the proposed educational opportunity will benefit not only the applicant but also the EI program and families enrolled in the program.

2. The employee’s primary responsibility is to their job and, consequently, to ensuring that families’ EI experience is not adversely affected by an employee’s participation in this scholarship. Scholarship applicants and their program director must discuss how service delivery may be impacted and how to manage any missed work time.

3. Supervisors may request to see proof of attendance and completion of courses.

4. Scholarships are selective. There are no guarantees and not all applicants may receive funding.

5. Approval of the program director must be obtained on the application prior to the submission of the application. Applicants will need to attest to this approval and the scholarship review committee will verify approval with the program director.

Guidelines for Scholarship

1. The maximum scholarship amount is $5,000.00 per funded area (i.e. advanced clinical skills and management/leadership development).

2. Funding periods are based upon fiscal years. All scholarship dollars must be used within the same fiscal year the award was made.

3. Scholarship applications will be reviewed by a committee, which will consist of representatives from the Board of Directors as well as Thom Child and Family Services employees.

4. In the event an employee has withdrawn or dropped out of an educational program, they will be billed for the portion covered by the scholarship fund. Acceptance of a scholarship presumes continued employment at Thom Child and Family Services. If a scholarship recipient is no longer employed by Thom Child and Family Services prior to the completion of the funded professional development activity, they will be billed for the scholarship award amount.

5. Scholarship applications must be submitted for a specific topic. The title of the professional development activity for which funding is being requested must be included.

• Funding is only available for the professional development activity requested and is not transferable to other professional development activities without express approval from the scholarship review committee.

6. For all professional development activities, proof of registration and payment must be submitted.

7. Within two weeks of completing the professional development activity, the applicant must complete/submit a scholarship program evaluation form to the Department of Development and Training. This evaluation form will be provided to the scholarship recipient prior to the completion of the professional development activity.

8. Within one month of completing the professional development activity, the applicant must provide a reflective summary of how this conference/course impacted the clinician’s skill set, services to children and families, and the potential benefit to the larger Early Intervention Program. This summary should also include the specific actions that will be taken by the scholarship recipient and/or others at the program, to ensure the program realizes the full benefit of the funded professional development.

For more information about the Phyllis A. Fazzio Scholarship Program, or other professional development opportunities through Thom Child and Family Services, please contact James Young, Coordinator of Continuing Education and Professional Development (508-655-5222 x139).