Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant Initiative

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Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant
Initiative
Geoffrey Nagle, PhD Louisiana ECCS State
Coordinator Tulane Institute of Infant and Early
Childhood Mental Health September 26, 2006
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Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant
Initiative
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
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What is the Childrens Cabinet?

• Policy Office within the Governors Office
• 12 Members
• Funded equally by five departments
• DHH, DSS, DoEd, DoL, and OYD

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Childrens Cabinet Philosophy

• Improving the lives of children in Louisiana is
  achieved through collaborative efforts and
  integrated and comprehensive services.
• This spirit of collaboration builds upon the
  shared values of respect for the diversity and
  uniqueness of individual children a high
  priority on early childhood, prevention, and
  education efforts the support for
  family-centered interventions the assurance of
  equal access to necessary resources and the
  implementation of best practices.

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Childrens Cabinet GoalsStrategic Plan 2005-2010

• To create a seamless system of care through the
  integration of services and resources.
• To effectively and efficiently utilize monetary,
  human, and organizational resources.
• To achieve measurable improvements in the
  outcomes of all children in Louisiana.

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Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant
Initiative
The Good
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Vision Statement

• Louisiana will be a place where all its children
  and youth can reach their full potential. --C
  hildrens Cabinet
• Louisiana's young children and their families are
  safe, healthy, and reach their full
  potential. --LA ECCS

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Childrens Cabinet Mission

• Leading the integration of services and effective
  utilization of resources to produce measurable
  outcomes in the physical, social, emotional, and
  educational needs of all children in Louisiana.

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LA ECCS Mission Statement

• Louisiana will create and sustain a comprehensive
  and integrated early childhood system. This
  system will ensure that families and communities
  provide young children (0-5) with opportunities
  for optimal emotional, social, physical and
  cognitive development.

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House ConcurrentResolution-155

• Passed in the 2004 Legislative session
• Establishes participation by agencies in the
  Strategic Planning for the ECCS Initiative
• Requires
• Report status to the Legislature by November 30,
  2004 and April 1, 2005
• Complete Strategic Plan by June 30, 2005

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House ConcurrentResolution-157

• Passed in the 2005 Legislative session
• Continues the collaborative effort to develop and
  operationalize the implementation plan
• Childrens Special Health Services Program
• Department of Economic Development
• Requires
• Ongoing reports every six months

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Childrens Cabinet - 2005 Budget Priorities

• Mental Health mental health services are needed
  across all ages and levels of intervention
• Primary Prevention/Early Intervention/Early Care
  and Education broad support, funding needs to
  be sustained and expanded in coordinated efforts
  to reach more children

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Childrens Cabinet Early Childhood Past and
Present Priorities

• Nurse Family Partnership
• Pre-K
• Early Steps (Part C of IDEA)
• LaCHIP/La MOMS
• Early Childhood Supports and Services
• Child Care and Development Block Grant

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The Good

• Working toward the same objectives
• Elevates the status and credibility of ECCS
• Ensures participation
• Improves access to information
• Provides the needed buy-in for implementation

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Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant
Initiative
The Bad
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The Bad

• Governors policy staff turnover
• Change in administration
• Competing for attention

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Louisiana Childrens Cabinet and the ECCS Grant
Initiative
The Ugly
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The Ugly

• This is a policy making initiative.
• Two things you never want to watch getting made
  Legislation and Sausage

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Closing Thoughts/ Lessons Learned

• Need to know what exists in your state.
• Childrens Cabinet
• Advisory Group
• Need to be involved in budget decisions.
• The budget process is the spinal column of
  public policymaking.