02-29522. Federal Interagency Coordinating Council Meeting

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY:

This notice describes the schedule and agenda of the forthcoming meeting of the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC). Notice of this meeting is intended to inform members of the general public of their opportunity to attend the meeting. The FICC will engage in policy discussions related to mental health services for young children with disabilities and their families. The meeting will be open and accessible to the general public.

DATE AND TIME:

FICC Meeting: Thursday, December 12, 2002 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

U.S. Department of Education, Barnard Auditorium, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bobbi Stettner-Eaton or Obral Vance, U.S. Department of Education, 330 C Street, SW., Room 3080, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: [phone] (press 3). Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The FICC is established under section 644 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1444). The FICC is established to: (1) Minimize duplication across Federal, State, and local agencies of programs and activities relating to early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and preschool services for children with disabilities; (2) ensure effective coordination of Federal early intervention and preschool programs, including Federal technical assistance and support activities; and (3) identify gaps in Federal agency programs and services and barriers to Federal interagency cooperation. To meet these purposes, the FICC seeks to: (1) Identify areas of conflict, overlap, and omissions in interagency policies related to the provision of services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities; (2) develop and implement joint policy interpretations on issues related to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers that cut across Federal agencies, including modifications of regulations to eliminate barriers to interagency programs and activities; and (3) coordinate the provision of technical assistance and dissemination of best practice information. The FICC is chaired by Dr. Robert H. Pasternack, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Individuals who need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, material in alternative format) should notify Obral Vance at [phone] (press 3) or [phone] (TDD) ten days in advance of the meeting. The meeting location is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Summary minutes of the FICC meetings will be maintained and available for public inspection at the U.S. Department of Education, 330 C Street, SW., Room 3080, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202, from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays, except Federal holidays.

Robert H. Pasternack,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.