Public Engagement

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Public Engagement

• Presenters
• Bev Thurber
• Pam Walker

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AccomplishmentChild Care Access Initiative

• Bev Thurber, Director
• Early Childhood Council of Larimer County

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(No Transcript)
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Background 2 Parallel Movements

• Child care centers closing
• Loss of infant/toddler slots
• Loss of CCAP slots
• Pathways Past Poverty
• Community coalition
• Resulted in 11 community goals to address
  self-sufficiency
• Used community forum to prioritize goals

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Background Research

• Data collection
• Availability (need vs. slots)
• Cost data
• Child Care Subsidies
• Economic impact
• Study by Meg Franko on community options

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Background Community engagement part 1

• Formed Child Care Access Initiative (key
  community players)
• After looking at data, developed community
  position statement
• Developed summary presentation on issues and
  data

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Background Community engagement part 2!

• Took the presentation on the road
• Funders
• Community organizations
• Government organizations

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ImpactGreater awareness

• Increasing community recognition of how child
  care affects families and the community
• Impact on workforce stability
• Impact on self-sufficiency

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Impact Greater support for 1 Community Goal

• Ensure families in Larimer County have access
  to quality child care that they can afford.

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ImpactDollars

• Increasing awareness
• Increasing funding

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Next Steps

• Widen the audience
• More funders, service groups, business groups
• Look at community solutions

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Accomplishment Public Awareness

• Pamela Walker, Director
• ECHO and Family Center
• Early Childhood Council

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(No Transcript)
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ECMH Public Awareness Needs

• New Crib to Kindergarten ECMH Comprehensive
  Services Not Understood
• Target Audiences Needed to be informed
  understand Internal ECHO Council and Network
  Staff Programs
• External Childcare, Health Care, general
  community, state and national audiences.

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Public Awareness for Integration of ECMH into the
ECHO Council Network
ECHO Family Center Early Childhood Council
Early Childhood Mental Health Action Team
Consolidated Early Childhood Education Action
Team
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ECHO FAMILY CENTER NETWORK
First Steps PAT Home Visiting
Head Start EHS
Children First Resource Referral
Inclusive Preschool Special Education
Child Health Passport
Promotion
Welcome Baby Bright Beginnings
ECHO Screening Child Find
Early Childhood Mental Health
Intervention
Prevention
Colorado Preschool Program
School Readiness Project
Developmental Evaluation Clinic
Early Intervention Colorado
Teen Parenting Program
Child Care Quality Improvement
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EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF
CARE Fosters the social and emotional well-being
of infants toddlers, preschool-age children and
their families
Services and Supports
VALUES Family Voice Child and Family
Centered Relationship Based Culturally
Competent Infused into Natural Settings and
Services Grounded in Developmental Knowledge
Supports for Parents and Families
Supports for Other Caregivers
Services for Children and Families
Building Blocks
Strategic Planning, Policies, and Procedures
Maximized and Flexible Funding
Prepared Workforce
Interagency Partnerships
Outcome Evaluation
Developed by Roxane Kaufmann, GUCCHD
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Social Emotional Messages, Target Parents
Community Focus on All Children

• Colorado Childrens Campaign Consultation
• On shopping carts at 2 grocery stores
• Posters in all childcare preschool

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Quality Childcare

• A Great Place to Start

• The Average kid will have 153 teachers. Her
  first one determines whether she loves the other
  152.
• Inserts in yellow pages marking the Child Care
  Section

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May 2008 State Wide Circle of Security
Conference Target State National Audience
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2008 Circle of Security OptionsTarget Parents
in Local Programs

• 1st National Pilot of COS Home Visitation
  Curriculum
• Clinical Application Clubs with 6 to 7 Families
  and their Children 2 x/yr.

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Impact of Public Awareness Messages Focused on
ECMH

• Increased numbers of children and families served
  locally in 2007/08 ---227 children.
• Increased numbers of children families served
  in all ECHO Family Center Network Programs.
• Increased statewide interest in COS Home
  Visitation Clinical Model.
• Increased Awareness at State National Level of
  1 Communitys Approach to Integrated ECMH
  Services. essions 2008-09

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Next Steps for Public AwarenessContinue to Focus
on Relationships

• New Messages that
• Target All Families with Young Children.
• Promote Positive Relationships as Key to School
  Success.

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How to engage in this work

• Contact your local Council
• Find out your local needs and issues
• Make sure you have a clear message
• Know your audience
• Start engaging the community!